86
votes
Suing a Police Officer Instead of the Police Department
Even if you had grounds for a lawsuit, you could not make it come out of the officer’s pocket. Under Chapter 4.64 of the Seattle Code, the City of Seattle is generally required to defend and indemnify ...
- 23.4k
70
votes
Accepted
Can I ask a cop, "What happened?"
You are allowed to ask the police whatever questions you like. There is an upper limit that you can't refuse to obey a lawful order on the premise that you want to ask a bunch of questions, but they ...
- 206k
69
votes
Accepted
How can you tell if you have to follow a police officer's instructions?
You don't know. You can't know. And you can't force the officer to tell you.
Detention Status
As a practical matter, you have no way of knowing if you are compelled to follow an officer's order ...
- 9,806
69
votes
Accepted
First amendment and employment: Can a police department terminate an officer for speech?
In general, employers in the United States are free to fire you for your speech. The First Amendment does not apply to anyone except the government (other than a narrow set of circumstances where ...
- 23.4k
64
votes
Accepted
Is it true that a teacher can't engage/attack a shooter from behind during a school shooting that is in progress?
Is it true that a teacher can't engage/attack a shooter from behind
during a school shooting that is in progress?
No. Any use of force of any kind that only harms or kills the shooter who is actively ...
- 186k
63
votes
Is it okay to admit to the police that you were speeding? Are there any benefits?
Maybe.
In many but not all situations, the police have a certain latitude in how they charge an incident.
In many but not all socieities, speeding is seen as less morally repugnant than, say, theft ...
- 13.2k
62
votes
Is it illegal to run away from a police officer in a way that provokes them, in the US?
Bobstro gave the practical answer, that it's a stupid idea for many reason.
This is for the US in general, states may have laws that say otherwise.
It is not illegal to provoke someone or a ...
- 1,389
58
votes
Accepted
Can illegal aliens claim sanctuary in a church?
The case you identify is not unique. For example, the Unitarian church in Denver has done much the same thing.
There is not a legal right to sanctuary in a church. But, as a manner of law enforcement ...
- 186k
51
votes
Flashing the emergency lights at a vehicle to dim the headlights
depending on the Jurisdiction, you actually were in violation of law!
In germany it is a misdemeanor to drive with the high beams on in such a fashion that it blinds or dazzles other road traffic, ...
- 31.4k
49
votes
Accepted
Can a policeman have his service weapon on him in a building that does not allow guns?
A follow-up story appears on the local ABC television station, indicating that the security guard pleaded no contest to simple assault. The fact that the security guard was convicted of a misdemeanor ...
- 4,019
49
votes
What does "Have you been drinking?" really mean?
'Have you been drinking?' isn't a question with a strictly defined legal meaning. It's the opening gambit in a conversation intended to assess whether it's worth proceeding to a sobriety test.
And ...
- 752
47
votes
Accepted
Can a Resident Assistant be told to ignore a lawful order?'
There is a state law that requires you to obey the police: ORC 2917.13, which says you may not
Fail to obey the lawful order of any law enforcement officer engaged
in the law enforcement officer'...
- 206k
47
votes
Accepted
Is it okay to admit to the police that you were speeding? Are there any benefits?
The benefit of not confessing is that they have no confession from you. If you decide later to challenge it on some basis you will have given up any advantage you may have had to get the case ...
- 3,369
45
votes
Ordered to unlock my car trunk. May I lawfully refuse?
If you comply without protest, this will be taken as consent to a search, and make anything found admissible. One can verbally object. The ACLU suggests the form "I do not consent to searches&...
- 112k
44
votes
Is it okay to admit to the police that you were speeding? Are there any benefits?
The benefit of confession is that it makes the entire encounter go smoother. Denying something which you know you have done and which they know you have done (or even not admitting it) is just wasting ...
- 1,764
43
votes
Can an officer wipe snow off a windshield to verify a registration or parking permit?
Yes, police are allowed to touch your car or wipe snow off the windshield to view a parking permit. Indeed, if they just ticketed people because their permit could not be seen through the snow, there ...
- 206k
41
votes
Accepted
Is it illegal to carry someone else's ID or credit card?
I think the officer is probably lying, not just mistaken, but they are not required to always be truthful. In addition to the law against possessing ID with intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any ...
- 206k
40
votes
Can I booby-trap my property against police?
First off, you cannot booby trap your property, period. It is both illegal and tortious. But, as you noted, there are already questions/answers that deal with this issue.
Sure enough, if the police ...
- 11.2k
40
votes
Accepted
Can I get reimbursed if police shot the window of my car during a standoff?
There is no legal obligation of the police or any of its officers to reimburse you. It comes within a police powers exception to the 5th Amendment obligation to provide compensation for takings. ...
- 186k
39
votes
Accepted
Stop, in the name of the law
In long ago English practice, the phrase used was "Stop in the name of the King". At one time this was, if I am not mistaken, required for a valid arrest. I am talking about a time hundreds ...
- 112k
39
votes
What are the actions a resident should take against police remaining, with no warrant, on residential property after being repeatedly asked to leave?
Yes, your best bet for immediate relief is to call 911 and ask for a supervisor. Generally speaking the police are not legally obliged to explain themselves to you on the spot. They are obliged to ...
- 3,112
38
votes
Accepted
I was racially abused at a public park. What legal actions can I take?
You should file a complaint with the police.
If you complain to the police then they might do something. If you don't complain then they certainly won't.
Are food trucks licensed? You might try ...
- 12.9k
36
votes
Can punishments be weakened if evidence was collected illegally?
united-states
Under U.S. law, illegally obtained evidence cannot be used to convict someone of a crime, but if they are convicted anyway, it has no impact on the punishment imposed.
- 186k
35
votes
Traffic Accident. Defending myself (Canada)
Let's be quite brutal here.
Inexperienced driver doesn't mean the driver made a mistake. Lots of friends in the car doesn't mean they interferred with his driving. Loud music in the car is totally ...
- 31.8k
34
votes
Is it illegal to take pictures of the police in public in Germany?
No, but...
It is not an offense to photograph people, especially if they are just caught at the edge or out of the center of the photography. However you do not have a right to photograph people ...
- 31.4k
32
votes
Is it illegal to carry someone else's ID or credit card?
Looking at Washington's Identity Theft statute RCW 9.35.020
No person may knowingly obtain, possess, use, or transfer a means of identification or financial information of another person, living or ...
- 4,696
31
votes
Accepted
Are police allowed to be ignorant of the law?
As I understand, the limited liability that police enjoy, requires
that people bringing civil cases against police must prove that the
police person should have had a reasonable knowledge of the civil
...
- 186k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible