by Bradley J. Steiner
A growing potential problem for “normal” citizens is, unfortunately, the prospect of dealing with police officers. As has been made evident by countless news reports, you do not have to be a criminal or do anything objectively wrong to be arrested and charged for having committed a “crime.” On the other hand, if you are a rioting, violent, psychopathic swine who loots, burns, vandalizes, and even kills… well, you’re cool. No problem with you.
Now I must emphasize, ALL police are not to be dismissed as thugs who serve an evil cause. There are many law enforcement officers who, like members of Oath Keepers, definitely stand with private citizens and their rights. Unfortunately, we are in the throes of nothing less than a revolution against our Republic, and too many who ought to be our uniformed protectors have become our uniformed controllers.
Here’s the big question for today: How can you interact with the police, and, while doing so, minimize your chances of finding yourself in trouble with “the system?”
My #1 rule of self-defense – i.e., avoidance – applies here. Do everything you can to avoid any contact with law enforcement. Calling the police should only be done when you are truly confronting a dangerous threat. Never mind domestic spats. Never mind noisy neighbors. Never mind minor damage done to a fence by kids. Never mind your out-of-control teenage son.
In today’s climate, when the police are called, there is a good chance that matters will escalate, and – if they started off being minor – they very well may become major. Unnecessary arrests, fights, and even shootings might erupt. AVOID all of that. And a corollary of this is: Get along with your neighbors! Give them no reason to call the police about any problems with you, and do everything possible to maintain a friendly attitude between yourself and them, so that no conflicts arise necessitating your need for official intervention.
If you are stopped by the police while out walking or while in your vehicle, COOPERATE. Never mind that you didn’t do anything. Forget about playing lawyer. Just relax and cooperate with them. If you are calm, courteous, soft-spoken, very passive physically, and politely cooperative, it is almost a certainty that no trouble will erupt.
Following the excellent advice of the very distinguished Defense Attorney in Arizona, Marc Victor, I will pass on his message of what to do if by any chance you are ever arrested. Mr. Victor says: “Say nothing to the police.” Do not waste time and energy and possibly supply the police with anything they might use against you at a later date. Do your talking to a lawyer! By remaining silent and explaining that you wish to consult with legal counsel, you are within the law, and doing this cannot be held against you.
Above all, never be sarcastic, abrasive, defiant, aggressive, reluctant to do as you are told, etc. This antagonizes individuals who, at the moment, have complete charge over you. Not wise. Many arrests and serious criminal charges need never have come about had the individual who had been stopped by the police simply followed the advice I just gave you.
Swallow your pride. Forget your ego. Remember what is important. Do you idiotically want to prolong and increase the seriousness of the consequences of a brief incident that could have been over and done with – and forgotten – in five or so minutes?
Police Officer: “Sir, may I see some form of personal identification?”
Idiot’s reply: “I don’t have to identify myself to you. Can you articulate a probable cause for requesting to see my I.D.?”
Survivor’s reply: “Certainly Officer.” I recommend at this point you add: “My wallet with my driver’s license is in my pocket,” as you slowly remove it, open it, and hand your I.D. to the officer.
If you happen to be dealing with a rogue officer, you have given him no reason whatsoever to zero in on you and turn your life into a nightmare. He is very unlikely to give you grief. If, more than likely, you’re being questioned by a typically decent officer, the encounter will end with a pleasant “Have a good day, sir” and that will be it, within a few minutes. If you get a traffic ticket, pay it or contest it in court; don’t argue with the cop!
Am I suggesting that we need to walk on eggshells when dealing with our police? You’re goddamn right I am! And if you refuse and instead insist on being some sort of a “hard-ass,” go right ahead. See for yourself where that kind of conduct will lead.
By the way, if you know any law enforcement officers, go ahead and ask them if following my advice is wise or foolish. Let them read it from these pages if you wish.
Not long ago, some “I know my rights, no-nonsense tough guy” defied police demands that he does not have large gatherings at his home. Such gatherings, the officers advised, were now unlawful. Well… no one was going to tell him his rights! No sir! And, so, he was arrested, sentenced to serve one year in jail, and fined $5,000. If that weren’t enough, our hero now has a criminal record and is high on the “to be watched list” of law enforcement.
Had this gentleman simply said, “Sorry officers, I’ll close this down right away, and I won’t have any gatherings like this again,” the police would have let it go and left, and he would be suffering only the inconvenience of being unable to have a large party at his home.
Question: “But what about this man’s rights?”
Answer: “What about them? Did they protect him? Did they matter? Were they even peripherally relevant to the officers, the judge who sentenced the man, or – let’s be honest – to the man, himself?”
The late Harry Browne wrote a marvelous book titled, How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World. I highly recommend it. Although I am not in total agreement with Browne’s ideas, I see much good in his overall philosophy. One thing he emphasized: Your rights will not protect you. He is spot on.
Many times, I have said to people: “Every person now living or who has lived in any tyrannical, totalitarian state or under any dictatorial ruler, had/has the same rights that our Constitution was written to acknowledge and protect in America. The difference is that the rights of those unfortunate people are not recognized. Hence, their rights do them no good.”
Please protect yourself and be sensible during these insane times. I pray that it will never come to any kind of literal civil war… and I hope your prayers will join mine.
In Memoriam: our beloved friend, Bradley J. Steiner, passed away on December 5, 2020.
In his legacy, we are fighting the “Brad Steiner fight” – the good fight. The fight for each person to be the person they want to be and to protect themselves when their lives are being viciously threatened by enemies of Freedom, Peace, and Justice.
