If You Are Stopped by the Police While In Your Car

1.) As soon as you notice the police emergency lights pull your vehicle over to the right and stop immediately.

2.) Remain in your vehicle while the officer approaches.

3.) Turn on your interior light if stopped at night.

4.) Keep your hands easily observable, preferably on the steering wheel where they can be easily seen by the approaching officer.

5.) Give your license and vehicle registration to the officer if asked to do so. 

6.) If you wish to inquire as to why you were stopped or offer an explanation, do so before the officer returns to his or her vehicle.

Whether an officer issues you a ticket or gives you a warning is entirely up to their individual discretion. Your conduct during the stop may influence the officer's decision.

Don't Be Offended
 

Most citizens already realize that law enforcement is a difficult and dangerous profession. Scores of police officers are killed each year, and hundreds more are injured and assaulted. For these reasons, police officers tend to be extremely cautious. They place a great deal of emphasis on officer safety and survival. Certain safety practices are instilled in our officers from the first day of their careers. Although the procedures maximize safety for the officer, they may seem standoffish, impolite, or offensive to citizens who may not consider such precautions necessary with "them." Even though you have no intention of doing the officer harm, he or she will probably maintain a defensive posture until the officer feels that there is no risk of confrontation or injury. As far as police officers are concerned, there is no such thing as a "routine" traffic stop. Every stop has the potential for danger.

If the Police Approach You On the Street

Innocent individuals are often offended or angered, or both, because an officer has detained them for questioning. Although the delay might be inconvenient for you, the officer believes there is a reason (reasonable suspicion) to stop you and ask questions. Most of these stops are not officer-initiated. The most common reasons that cause an officer to stop someone are as follows:
 

1. You might be one of only a few people walking around in the vicinity of a crime that has recently occurred.
2. Your clothing might be similar or identical to that worn by the perpetrator of a crime.
3. Someone may have called the police complaining about your presence or that you looked "suspicious."
4. Someone may have pointed you out to the officer.
5. You might be acting in a manner that the officer considers "suspicious" and you may act even more "suspicious" after realizing that the officer is observing you.

The police officer does not wish to detain you any longer than necessary. Once the officer is able to determine that you are not the individual that he or she is looking for, the officer will often apologize for the inconvenience and then quickly leave to resume the search.

In All Police Encounters

1. Avoid making sudden movements (for your wallet, into your coat, toward your waistband, etc.) until you have informed the officer of your intention to do so and the officer has said it's okay.
2. Do not carry weapons (real or otherwise) or even joke about having a weapon on your person. 
3. Do not touch the police officer or violate his or her "personal" safety zone (3 - 5 feet).
4. Remain calm and avoid being argumentative. (If you are uncooperative and refuse to answer reasonable questions, the officer is likely to become more suspicious and the encounter will probably last much longer than necessary.)
5. Comply first, then you may seek an explanation from the officer or the officer's supervisor later.

Summary

There are times when citizens who have contact with the police come away with feelings of frustration or dissatisfaction. The Quinsigamond Community College Police Department does not condone police misconduct of any type. In our experience, we have learned that those negative feelings are often a result of not knowing the reason(s) an officer has made certain requests or acted in a certain manner. Unfortunately, demands on a patrol officer do not always permit time for explanations at the time you are stopped. Hopefully, the information presented here will give you an understanding of police procedures and let you know what to expect from a police officer if you are stopped.