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Interacting with law enforcement is probably not a situation that anyone who really wants to experience. However, this will happen to you at some point, even if you have not broken any laws. In this article, we'll tell you about the tricks used by police officers to increase their chances of accusing you of something, as well as the tricks you can use to get out of the mess.
Requests are not orders
Contrary to popular belief, a request made by a policeman is not the same as an order. For example, you do not need to completely lower your window unless specifically ordered. You can also film the policemen while they are in service, which could prevent any kind of legal subterfuge since you would have the proof in hand. Moreover, you do not have to consent to a search unless the police officer has a warrant. You have the full right to ask, “Am I detained or am I free to leave? ”
Police officers search for information in a relaxed way
When you are arrested, the officer applies for your driving licence and the registration of the vehicle. You should assume that everything that happens next is an attempt to gather information under cover of a casual conversation, so that you are not on your guard. Everything you say could potentially incriminate you and be used against you in court, even if it seems like a normal conversation. You should only tell agents what they ask to know, with the answers that are as short as possible. This does not mean that you must be rude, only that you have to answer the questions about the offence itself and nothing else.
Police officers can legally lie to you
Imagine an agent telling you that he has your fingerprints or your DNA, proving that you are responsible for the crime in question. Don't necessarily believe them. Police officers can legally lie to you. Forensic laboratories are often congested, so if you were arrested for a recent crime, it is unlikely that the police will have your fingerprints or DNA at the time of your interrogation.
Police officers may use dummy tests
Not only can police officers legally lie to you, but they can also use dummy tests to try to mislead you. In People v. Mays in 2009, the police officers connected their suspect to a fake lie detector and showed him a rigged graph proving that he was lying. The suspect later confessed to having been at the crime scene, and the court found that to be admissible. For example, police officers may also use other methods, such as washing the suspect’s hands before applying a cocaine test kit to claim that the change in colour proves that he recently fired with a weapon.
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