Searches and whatnot:
I'm not in the habit of debating/correcting people in venues where it's not going to do me any good.
On a practical matter, doing this on the side of the road with someone who is armed and nominally has the strong arm of the law on their side just isn't smart. If nothing else, it complicates matters and if you want to come out ahead much easier down the road you need to minimize the complications.
Clearly denying consent to search is the tool you have at your disposal. Use it.
What the officer decides to do at that point is beyond your control. Accept that and apply the other tool at your disposal, namely your right to remain silent, and keep your yap shut.
If you argue or otherwise attempt to "correct" the officer, human nature says all you're likely to accomplish is to further polarize him in his actions.
It will also give the LEO additional things to charge you with. AND, if it turns out you're right on some things, it'll cue the LEO in on how to manipulate things to his advantage better. And I just LOVE giving people all the rope they need to hang themselves.
Shut your mouth and let the LEO continue to screw everything up if he wants to. When you are in the right, there's nothing like being in front of the deciding authority in a controlled venue (like a judge in a courtroom) where your attorney can actually cite statutes and regulations verbatim and point out how they were violated.
It's the legal version of what I deal with in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program:
"Contrary to (procedure), Ship's Force failed to (insert action)."
I'm not in the habit of debating/correcting people in venues where it's not going to do me any good.
On a practical matter, doing this on the side of the road with someone who is armed and nominally has the strong arm of the law on their side just isn't smart. If nothing else, it complicates matters and if you want to come out ahead much easier down the road you need to minimize the complications.
Clearly denying consent to search is the tool you have at your disposal. Use it.
What the officer decides to do at that point is beyond your control. Accept that and apply the other tool at your disposal, namely your right to remain silent, and keep your yap shut.
If you argue or otherwise attempt to "correct" the officer, human nature says all you're likely to accomplish is to further polarize him in his actions.
It will also give the LEO additional things to charge you with. AND, if it turns out you're right on some things, it'll cue the LEO in on how to manipulate things to his advantage better. And I just LOVE giving people all the rope they need to hang themselves.
Shut your mouth and let the LEO continue to screw everything up if he wants to. When you are in the right, there's nothing like being in front of the deciding authority in a controlled venue (like a judge in a courtroom) where your attorney can actually cite statutes and regulations verbatim and point out how they were violated.
It's the legal version of what I deal with in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program:
"Contrary to (procedure), Ship's Force failed to (insert action)."
Last edited:
