In recent years, we’ve all heard new stories about people who’s had problematic run-ins with police officers. Hopefully, this isn’t something you’ve had any personal experience with and won’t ever have any personal experience with. But at one point or another, there is a chance that you’ll have some type of interaction with a police officer.
Despite the situation you might find yourself in, there are some things you can do to increase the chances of this interaction going smoothly rather than resulting in a bad outcome like injury due to police misconduct. So to help ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, here are three tips for a more positive interaction with police.
Try Your Best To Be Respectful And Listen
For more police officers, they really are there to help protect and serve their community. If they’re called to a scene, it’s generally because someone there feels unsafe or some type of law is suspected of being broken. And although it might be inconvenient for you, Michelle Crouch, a contributor to Reader’s Digest, shares that the best way to avoid conflict with the police is to be respectful and listen to them while they’re trying to do their job.
If you’re able to keep your cool while around the police, there’s a much higher chance of them being able to take care of whatever they need and then leave the scene without any disturbances taking place.
Avoid Becoming Aggressive
As a police officer, these men and women have to be ready for anything that could happen. Because of this, they’re often on guard against any type of aggression, both toward themselves or others. So if they suspect aggression from you, things could get dicey.
To avoid this, PBS recommends that you try to avoid behaviors that could seem aggressive when around police. Keep your hands visible and don’t make any sudden movements. Try to keep some distance between yourself and the police so you’re not ever actually making any physical contact with them.
Take Advantage Of Your Right To Remain Silent
If the police are interacting with you, you might feel nervous, scared, angry, and all types of other emotions. You might feel like you’re being wrongly singled out or that you’re being misunderstood.
Despite the emotions you’re feeling, if you want to keep yourself safe, the ACLU recommends that you always take advantage of your right to remain silent when stopped by the police for any reason. This can help to keep you out of trouble. And if you’re detained, make sure you ask to speak to a lawyer.
If you’re worried about potential interactions you could have with police in the future, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what to do and how to act for your own safety.
