Under ideal circumstances, the police would always respect people’s constitutional rights and act in accordance with proper procedure. However, a disturbing number of police officers will disregard the law, which can manifest as any number of peculiar and suspicious habits. You should watch out for these seven signs, which may be indicative of possible police misconduct:
- Police conduct a search without showing a warrant
- If you witness the police conduct a search or seizure, you should ask them if they have a warrant. If they refuse to produce a warrant, or become aggressive against people who ask for a warrant, that may be a sign they are engaged in an illegal search or seizure, which is a form of police misconduct.
- Police conduct an arrest without explaining why
- The police cannot simply arrest whoever they want without at least alleging a potential crime they committed. If the police refuse to explain why they are arresting someone, that may be a sign of potential misconduct.
- Police refuse to read someone their rights
- By law, the police are supposed to read criminal suspects their Miranda rights, which includes the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. If they refuse to read someone their rights, they may have committed a form of police misconduct.
- Police refuse to allow someone to see a lawyer
- If someone asks to speak to a lawyer before talking to the police, they are supposed to allow them to make a call to get a lawyer. If the police try to stop someone from contacting a lawyer, that may be a sign they are engaged in some form of misconduct.
- Police refuse to turn over body cam footage
- Many jurisdictions require police officers to wear body cams whenever they are engaged in any form of official action with a civilian. If the police refuse to turn over body cam footage of an arrest or interrogation, that may be a sign they are trying to conceal evidence of police misconduct.
- Police threaten or coerce witnesses
- While it is perfectly normal for the police to interview or interrogate witnesses to a crime, that does not mean they are allowed to threaten them or engage in other forms of coercion. If they step over the line, it may mean they are engaged in witness tampering, which is a form of police misconduct.
- Police attempt to confiscate phones or recording devices
- Average citizens have a right to record the actions of police undertaken in public. If the police try to confiscate phones, cameras, or other recording devices from citizens witnessing an arrest or other police action, it may be a sign of potential misconduct.
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