Stopped, Questioned, or Arrested

A police encounter is stressful and fast, and what you do in the first moments matters. Two goals, in order: get through it physically safe, and avoid making your situation worse. Those rarely require you to argue your rights on the spot — they require you to stay calm, keep your hands visible, say little, and sort out the rest later, with help.

Stay safe first

No right matters more than getting home safe. Before anything legal, lower the temperature.

• Don't run, don't struggle, don't flee. Even if the stop is wrong, resisting turns a problem into a far bigger one. You contest it later, not there.
• Keep your hands visible and move slowly. Say what you're doing before reaching for anything ("My ID is in my pocket").
• Stay calm and polite, even if you're angry or afraid. Calm keeps you safer and looks better later.
• Don't lie, and don't produce fake documents — but you don't have to volunteer information either (see below).

Your rights, in general

The specifics vary by country, but several principles are widely (not universally) shared. Learn exactly how they work where you live.

• The right to stay silent. In many places you don't have to answer questions beyond, sometimes, identifying yourself. Anything you say can be used against you.
• The right to a lawyer. Especially once detained or arrested, you can usually ask for a lawyer — and then stop answering until you have one.
• The right to ask if you're free to go. "Am I free to leave?" is a fair question. If yes, you can calmly leave. If no, you're being detained — say less, not more.
• Limits on searches. When police may search you, your things, your car, or your home varies a lot. You can generally state that you don't consent to a search — calmly, without physically resisting.

What to say — and not say

You don't have to be clever. A few calm phrases do almost all the work, and silence does the rest.

• "Am I free to go?" — settles whether this is a chat you can walk away from or a detention.
• "I'm going to stay silent." / "I'd like to speak to a lawyer." — in many places, saying it clearly is what triggers the protection. Then actually stay quiet.
• "I don't consent to a search." — where that applies; say it, don't enforce it with your body.
• Don't explain, argue, or confess. "I was only…", "Let me explain…", joking, or lying all create evidence. The urge to talk your way out is the trap.

If you're arrested

1. Don't resist, even a wrongful arrest. Comply physically; contest it through the proper channel afterward.
2. Ask for a lawyer, then stay silent. Say you want a lawyer and that you won't answer questions until you have one — and mean it. You may have a right to free or duty counsel.
3. Don't sign or agree to anything you don't understand without legal advice.
4. Use any right to contact someone. You may be able to call a lawyer or a family member — keep what you say brief, as calls can be monitored.
5. If it's your child or loved one, the same applies: tell them to stay calm, stay quiet, and ask for a lawyer; find them legal help quickly.

Afterward

• Write down everything while it's fresh — what happened, when, where, what was said, officers' names or numbers, and any witnesses.
• Get medical care if you were hurt, and keep records and photos.
• You can complain about mistreatment. There are usually formal channels (an oversight body, a complaints process) and rights organizations that can help — get advice on the right route.
• Get a lawyer for anything beyond a minor matter. (See the Getting a Lawyer guide.)