What to do if you are contacted by police?
It is EXTREMELY important that if you are contacted by police, you DO NOT speak to officers. Exercising your right to remain silent will ultimately help, not hurt, if a case is filed against you. Officers will often make small talk with you in order to get you to tell them important details. It is at this point that you must say to the officer, “ I do not feel comfortable talking about my day” and then ask, “am I being detained or am I free to go”
Am I being detained or am I free to go?
If free to go, politely say, “thank you officer” and go about your business.
If you are being detained, do the following:
“Officer, I do not feel comfortable discussing my day”
When, not if, the officer persists, continue to say:
“I do not feel comfortable discussing my day, I am exercising my Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.
This may be difficult to do in the moment, but by not giving any statements that can be used against you, YOU are helping your own case.