Your Rights If You Get Arrested: Explained
- 4 years ago
Your Rights If You
Get Arrested: Explained According to the Associated Press, more
than 10,000 people have been arrested during
recent protests across the United States. Here are some ways you can
legally protect yourself if you’re taken
into police custody for protesting. Although you’re legally required to disclose
your identity when arrested, it is your fifth
amendment right to remain silent otherwise. Do not allow police to pressure you into
disclosing incriminating information and
do not sign anything or do anything
without an attorney present. You have the right to a phone call if arrested,
and police are not permitted to listen to a
call being made to a lawyer for legal help. If apprehended, police are allowed to remove
anything from your person, but they do need
a warrant to search your personal devices. You have the right to deny any sort of
request for access to your phone, whether
it be a passcode or fingerprint ID. After being arrested, police may ask for
a DNA sample and even try to collect
that sample without your consent. The Legal Aid Society advises those arrested to
not drink, smoke or chew gum in police custody,
as they may collect it and use it for DNA. Most importantly, if you feel your rights
have been violated in any way during an
arrest, it’s important to remember and
record as much information as possible. That includes badge numbers, patrol car
numbers, officer names, their agency and
witness contact information.
Get Arrested: Explained According to the Associated Press, more
than 10,000 people have been arrested during
recent protests across the United States. Here are some ways you can
legally protect yourself if you’re taken
into police custody for protesting. Although you’re legally required to disclose
your identity when arrested, it is your fifth
amendment right to remain silent otherwise. Do not allow police to pressure you into
disclosing incriminating information and
do not sign anything or do anything
without an attorney present. You have the right to a phone call if arrested,
and police are not permitted to listen to a
call being made to a lawyer for legal help. If apprehended, police are allowed to remove
anything from your person, but they do need
a warrant to search your personal devices. You have the right to deny any sort of
request for access to your phone, whether
it be a passcode or fingerprint ID. After being arrested, police may ask for
a DNA sample and even try to collect
that sample without your consent. The Legal Aid Society advises those arrested to
not drink, smoke or chew gum in police custody,
as they may collect it and use it for DNA. Most importantly, if you feel your rights
have been violated in any way during an
arrest, it’s important to remember and
record as much information as possible. That includes badge numbers, patrol car
numbers, officer names, their agency and
witness contact information.