Even the bravest of individuals can’t deny that being arrested is a frightening experience. After being taken into police custody, most people are hit with a whirlwind of emotions, with anger and confusion being among the most prominent. Regardless of how you’re feeling upon being placed under arrest, it’s important that you maintain your cool and exhibit basic decorum. Failure to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner is liable to make things much worse for you down the line. If you’re not careful, a single charge can quickly balloon into multiple charges. Should you ever find yourself placed under arrest, put the following pointers to good use.
Don’t Antagonize Law Enforcement Officials
Even if you think you’ve been placed under arrest unfairly, the last thing you want to do is antagonize law enforcement officials. If the arresting officers feel threatened by your words or actions, they won’t hesitate to defend themselves. In addition to leaving you injured (or worse), such behavior is practically guaranteed to result in additional charges. On the flipside, if you fully cooperate with law enforcement, officers are more likely to treat you with respect and dignity. If you resist arrest or antagonize the arresting officers, this will almost certainly be included in the subsequent police report. Needless to say, this won’t prove helpful when your case goes before a judge.
Invoke Your Right to Silence
No matter how solid you think your case is, it’s generally a good idea to have a lawyer present when speaking with police. Of course, this isn’t to say that you should be rude or flippant when invoking your right to silence. Simply saying, “I wish to invoke my right to silence and speak to an attorney” should suffice. Additionally, signing a Miranda waiver – i.e., a waiver that essentially deprives you of your Miranda rights – is almost always ill-advised. So if the police department raises this prospect, refuse until you’re able to speak with an attorney.
Let People Know Where You Are
It’s hard to deny that being arrested is embarrassing. However, no matter how much you’d like to keep your arrest a secret from your loved ones, it’s important that they know where you are. As such, after being arrested, your foremost priority should be informing your family of your situation. The sooner your loved ones know where you are, the sooner they can start working on getting you out. Whether this entails putting forth their own money or seeking out Orange County bail bonds largely depends on their financial situation.
No matter how confident you are in your innocence, being placed under arrest can be a tremendously stressful ordeal. While you may feel the temptation to panic or lash out in the wake of an arrest, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you keep it together. A little bit of anger may ultimately wind up costing you a lot. However, provided you conduct yourself in an appropriate manner, the damage can be minimized, if not negated altogether.