Getting arrested is a very scary and confusing ordeal. For some people, their instinct might tell them to flee immediately or resist arrest. However, that might just aggravate the situation and make things more difficult — and dangerous — for you.
Thankfully, the law has put safeguards in place for citizens who get arrested. The first thing that you have to do is to remain calm and remember that aside from telling the arresting officers your name, you have the right to remain silent at all times.
Aside from contacting a criminal defense attorney in Lynnwood, here are some helpful things that you need to remember in case you ever get arrested by the police.
1. Stay calm.
There are a number of things that you should and should not do during an arrest. In order to ensure your safety, you have to remain calm at all times, even in the face of a truly daunting situation. This way, you would be able to maintain the presence of mind and understand the reason for your arrest.
The police could only arrest you if they have a valid arrest warrant or if you have just committed — or they have reasonable grounds to believe that you are about to commit — a serious crime.
In the instance of less serious crimes, the police can make a warrantless arrest if they saw you commit the crime. In any case, keeping a clear head would help you in protecting your rights.
2. Protect your right to remain silent.
The Miranda warning guarantees the rights of any person who has been taken into police custody. Upon arrest, law enforcement officers have to inform the suspect of these rights.
One of the things that you need to remember is that you have the right to not talk to the police officers at all, with the exception of telling them your name or asking to talk to an attorney. You can choose to wait for your lawyer before giving any other detail, especially since everything you say could be used against you in court.
3. Ask for an attorney.
As guaranteed by the Miranda doctrine, you are entitled to legal representation upon arrest. You have the right to talk to a lawyer, especially when it comes to what you should say in the presence of the law enforcement officers.
This could be done in private. Any statement or answer you give could be used to incriminate you so it would be wise to consult with your counsel before giving any such statements.
4. Take note of the circumstances of your arrest.
There are times when, during a lawful arrest, officers also conduct a limited search of your person and property. While this is lawful, you have to be mindful of the way the search is conducted.
Aside from this, remember the things that they recover as well as its state when the police find them. Even if they find anything that might be able to incriminate you, don’t say anything and focus on being compliant until you are able to speak with your lawyer.
In a single day, thousands of people get arrested with little to no issue. The key to preventing additional charges to be filed against you is to remain calm but alert at all time.
If you feel like your rights have been violated at any point during the process, you could tell your attorney so that he would be informed of all the circumstances surrounding your arrest. Any breach of constitutional rights could cause evidence or even whole cases dismissed.
