Dear Black People (HEY)

Dear Black People, (Hey)

Black people need special rules for dealing with some police or because of the historical implications that display the unequal treatment we have with police officers. Prison is a business, and our people are the supply in high demand. All we are to them are bodies rotting in a cell. Therefore, do your best to stay out of their way and their prison systems. Obey the law. Do not hang around people that will have you caught up in criminal matters.

A few years ago, I was on Twitter and a man gave out some valuable information about how melanated people should deal with police officers when they are stopped, especially when the officers are not fond of interacting with you. Your goal is to ALWAYS remain calm. Young people please keep your mouth shut. The person that posted these expensive instructions is no longer on Twitter, or he could have changed his name. I will still credit him for posting it. It's great knowledge to have. Please go to your police town hall meetings. You have to get involved. Learn who your mayor is and your trustees. If you have children, you should definitely be at your local meetings in your city or town. Ask questions about search warrants or anything you want to know as a citizen to your local police departments.

• You do NOT have to let the police in your home UNLESS they have a search warrant or if there’s an exigent circumstance (e.g. kidnapping) If you allow them to enter, anything they find that could incriminate you can be used against you because you waived your 4th Amendment right.

• REPORT POLICE MISCONDUCT: be a good eyewitness. Police officers stick together (The Ole’ “Boys Club” rule). Anything that can dismiss whatever story they try to tell is essential. The second side to the story we never see in many police brutality cases.

• You ALWAYS have the right to remain silent. If you ever get arrested and the police want to interrogate you, assert your 6TH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO LEGAL COUNSEL AND SHUT TF UP! Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. (Miranda v. Arizona)

• DO NOT GET PLAYED! The police can LEGALLY LIE TO YOU, and they can also TRICK YOU into waiving your civil rights. Also DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING UNLESS YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL IS PRESENT — they’re allowed to trick you to get what they want which is a suspect to the crime behind bars.
•  NEVER touch a cop. Anything as simple as a finger-tap on a shoulder of a police officer can be considered assault. That accusation leads down the long line of “individual attacked officers” and “he/she resisted arrest” bull crap excuses.
• Clarify your status. Determine if you are free to go. Ask the officer(s) if they’re detaining you (under arrest) or if you are free to go. If you’re requesting legal counsel recommend asserting this once your lawyer arrives because your legal counsel can clarify this as well.
• You have the right to refuse searches. [You can assert this right by calmly telling the police “I don’t consent to searches”]. NEVER voluntarily consent to any kind of search.
•  Always be calm and cool. If things escalate after being calm, cool, and collected it makes THEM LOOK BAD! Their job is stressful so any implication (even something as small as sneezing). That’ll be their reason to act aggressively towards you.
• If you are stopped by the police, you do NOT have to talk to them. Only in limited circumstances do you have to talk to the police. So as a rule of thumb, if you’re questioned try not to talk too much. Keep the conversation simple and avoid implicating yourself.
•  Do NOT be intimidated into giving up your Constitutional Rights: Police officers give anxiety, stress, and duress on purpose to try and get you to speak, which is coercion (illegal af) Standing up for your 4th Amendment Rights & other legal Rights will ALWAYS be your best bet.
• If you’re stopped by the police for just breathing or walking down the street, you do not have to explain where you are going and where you are coming from.
• Police Officers nationwide abuse Terry v, Ohio in order to commit Racial Profiling and Racial Targeting by randomly detaining and stopping and frisking Black males. This is here to help you resist them and tell them NO, which justifies their safety being “threatened.” Even if searched for a weapon under a legitimate stop, it is illegal for the police to search further, or for them to go inside your pockets. They are allowed to pat down for weapons for their own safety during a brief legal detainment and that’s it, they can search no further.
• The police can only detain you for a limited time to prove beyond a reasonable doubt whether or not you are involved in criminal activity. After that they MUST release you or your detention turns into an arrest. A reasonable time is usually 10-15 minutes for lawful detention.
• If you are being detained or arrested, you have a RIGHT to ask and know why. Police conduct is a MAJOR part of any criminal case (e.g. how they obtained evidence, confessions, etc.). If any police misconduct was displayed during the investigation = gets thrown out.
•  If you’re driving a car and get pulled over, you must show your driver’s license and registration. If you are a passenger, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SHOW I.D. ONLY THE DRIVER!
• You always have the right to OPENLY record police in public. Be careful when responding to what cops say & don’t point your camera like a gun.

This why you are encouraged to be proactive in your community with your local police department. Show up to their meetings. Ask them about these laws that you just read about. Read the cases that were cited. They need to know you and your family. If they are racially pulling over your kids for no reason and asking the passenger for their ID, that's a violation. Any police officer doing that to your kids or family members have to be your number one concern to bring that kind of behavior and attention to the mayor and your town's officials. You can fight it legally in court if you're not satisfied with your local politicians.