How Parents Can Protect Their Juveniles Against Police Brutality
There has been several stories in the news of unarmed young men being shot by police officers. The most recent case is Freddie Gray. On April 12, 2015, Gray, who was a 25-year old man, was arrested by the Baltimore Police Department. Gray suffered a spinal cord injury and other injuries while being transported to jail and died several days later on April 19. A juvenile lawyer can help parents to protect their children against police brutality.
Take Safety Precautions
It is essential to stay calm when being pulled over or when encountering a police officer. Your juvenile should take certain precautions when asked to pull over in a vehicle. He or she should pull over and turn off the ignition.
You should put your hands on the steering wheel and stay in your vehicle. It also helps to keep your registration, car insurance and license tucked inside your sun visor. If an officer stops you at night, then you should turn on your interior light. Rolling down you window also shows the officer that you do not have nothing to hide.
Do Not Agree to Police Searches
You should never give a police officer permission to search your body, your vehicle or home. Police officers need a warrant to search your home or to go through your pockets. However, they are required to pat your body down to check for weapons.
Ask to Leave
When an officer ask you a question, you should respond with "Am I free to go?" If this question is not asked, law enforcement officers will think that you are agreeing to talk with him. After this response, the officer may say that you are being detained or arrested. Your response should be that you wish to remain silent.
Never Talk to a Police Officer
You should never talk to a police officer before or after being arrested. It is important to say "I'm going to remain silent" and to not say anything else. Anything that you do or say can be used against you in court. Not saying anything is not an admission of guilt and it does not give the officer anything to use against you in court.
It is hard to charge or falsely accuse someone when you choose to remain silent. If your teenager is arrested, then it helps to hire a lawyer that has experience with juveniles (such as one from Kassel & Kassel A Group of Independent Law Offices). Most police officers want to keep the community safe and go home to their families. Young people can improve their communication with those in law enforcement by understanding the law and following the safety precautions in this article.
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