If you ever find yourself arrested by the police, you will find that it can be an incredibly stressful, worrying, and traumatic experience, particularly if it is out of the blue and you have done noth-ing wrong. It is also hugely important that you know what you should and should not do dur-ing this experience, as what you do will have a huge impact on what happens next. Additional-ly, you may need to go against your natural reactions, which can be difficult. So, what should you do if you are ever arrested? Read on for a few tips that will help and hopefully get the situ-ation resolved as quickly as possible.
Do Not Resist Arrest
Your natural reaction might be to resist arrest and run away if you have police attempting to arrest you, but this is a massive mistake even if you have done nothing wrong. Instead, you should co-operate with the police and simply have faith that the legal system will prevail.
Remain Silent
Another common mistake that people make is to try and talk their way out of the situation. This is a mistake because anything that you do say could later be used in court, and it is easy to get confused and muddled up when your adrenaline is spiking. This means that you might say something that later proves to be untrue, which could seriously damage your case. Staying si-lent is not an admission of guilt, instead, it should be seen as the best way to protect yourself until you get legal support.
Call Your Lawyer
At the station, you should continue to remain silent other than to state that you would like to speak to a lawyer. Keep in mind that officers are trained to tease out information, so remember to stay quiet. If you do not have a lawyer, you will have a public defender. All conversations with lawyers are confidential, and this is your chance to state what has happened.
Remain Calm
It is very easy to panic in this situation whether you are in the wrong or not. It is important to try and remain calm and listen to the advice of your lawyer. You need to have faith in your lawyer and the legal system and trust that the best possible outcome will be achieved for your case.
Consider An Excessive Force Claim
Unfortunately, many people have a bad experience when they are arrested and are a victim of excessive force. Police are there to protect us, but excessive force can be common, and this can make your experience much more traumatic. If you believe that you were a victim of excessive force, you should speak to an excessive force lawyer that will be able to take your case forward and seek compensation.
Being arrested can be traumatic and scary, especially if you have done nothing wrong and were not expecting it. It is vital that you know what you should and should not do in this situation, and this post will hopefully be informative.
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