Location: MN and DC
Hey everyone, I’m an 18 year old going into his first year of college and I’d like a bit of advice on navigating police interactions with our current high-tension political climate. I currently live in Minnesota but I’m going to college in DC, and with all of the federal overreach, ICE movements, and other messed up law enforcement activity I’d like some advice on how to handle the police without getting arrested.
I know there’s a whole bunch of fuss over ID’s and the fourth amendment, searches and seizures, and all that bs. Typically I have no issue just handing over my ID and letting them run my name, I don’t have anything on my record and I’m typically not involved in any criminal activities. The first thing I’m curious about is why should I not hand over my ID? Do I lose anything by letting the police run my ID since I’m a citizen with no criminal record? Does letting them run my ID put me in any sort of shit list or give them further ammo to investigate me?
The second thing I’m hoping to learn about is police probing. When should I play along, when should I stop talking to them, and when should I question what they’re saying? The most I’ve ever gotten in trouble for was speeding, and typically whenever it’s just a 7-9mph over the limit stop where the cops prod for information then let you on your way, I comply and make some small talk with them about where I’m from and where I’m going.
I have had a one scenario where I was going excessively fast (like at least double the limit), a cop saw me, but the cop didn’t manage to get me on radar before I slowed down and pulled into a nearby parking lot. He still came into the parking lot with his lights on and everything and started probing for an admission of guilt, but I wouldn’t give it to him. He kept on drilling me on how much I had to drink that night (completely sober), how fast I was going, and how it was suspicious that I pulled into a parking lot late at night.
I gave a bunch of smart ass responses that definitely made the officer angrier but didn’t really give him anything to work with. “I smell alcohol in your vehicle”, “well maybe you shop stop drinking if you can smell it on your own breath officer”. “It’s pretty suspicious that you’re in this parking lot all alone at night”, “last time I checked this is private property, there aren’t any no trespassing signs, and the owner has not asked me to leave the property”. “I caught you going pretty fast back there”, “I believe I was going the speed limit, do you have a radar reading or other court admissible evidence to prove otherwise”. It kind of went back and forth like this for a solid 10 minutes before he left.
What I said in this interaction kept me out of jail, but could I have played it smarter? And in future interactions is is just better to play along with the probing questions or should I just plead the 5th and stop talking?
Last but not least, I’d like to know what the best way to keep out of handcuffs in DC is. I know that’s a much more fast-paced and serious environment than my small town in Minnesota, so I’m wondering what the best way to interact with Capitol Police, DC Police, or campus security is. Obviously campus security has its own set of governing rules, but for official police officers is it just best to give them my ID, or fight them on articulable suspicion of a crime? If I should give them my ID, is it best to go along with the probing questions, exercise my 5th amendment rights and stop talking, or mouth off a bit and pretty much ask them to prove whatever crime they’re accusing me of?