I just saw this post online and would like to share it with you:
In Case the Cops get Grinchy on us.
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Know nothing. If the police asks Santa questions Santa will have
nothing to tell them.
"I don't know, i'm just following the crowd." is a reasonable answer
"Some folks just told me to show up here." is too
Further explanation is not necessary. "I don't know" is a fine mantra
to have.
And mental state. Santa's not suggesting being dishonest with an
officer of the law. Again, if Santa knows nothing Santa has nothing
to say. (a longer version of the mantra)
Other than Santa expressing a lack of knowledge about things which
Santa does not know, Silence is Golden. (Johnny Cochran says it as
"If you don't talk, you might just walk!")
Oh... and just to dupe you into believing this silly information,
Santa has faked out a website with a supposed wallet card made by the
ACLU on how to interact with the police:
http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/dwb%20bust%20card7_04.pdf
http://www.aclu.org/police/gen/14528res20040730.html
(More "fun" web sites at the bottom)
Longer Version:
Evading the police is exciting. It's exciting to be doing and it's
exciting to watch and cheer along. However, the excitement usually
ends quickly after the evading stops. After that it's kinda tedious.
Waaaaay worse than stumbling by yourself in your Santa suit from
Cheetah's back to the House of Pies.
Police officers have the right to detain you for a short time for
questioning without arresting you or without you having done anything
illegal.
Resisting that detention, especially in a way that causes physical
contact with them, can give them legitimate cause for arrest. Some
grinchier officers play kindergarten games where they will jump in
your way as you are trying to avoid them and thus act like you are
attacking them.
Santa will have to wait to go to court to sort out the actualities of
rights and what was legal. If Santa doesn't want to curtail Santa's
day while waiting to do that, Santa *might* find it more expedient to
be detained.
Santa's rights, though, do not start at the point of arrest, they are
always there.
Santa has the right to remain silent. But the police have the right
to determine how long the "short" amount of time Santa is detained is,
so cooperating not remaining silent might speed things up. Santa's
job isn't to know what's going on. Santa doesn't have to know any
answers to any questions to participate.
For those Santas that have it's cuteness battered into their
subconscious (which may be guiding them more), answering "Santa!" to
every question an officer gives you is probably a good way to spend
more time with them.
Okay... again... remember, as far as Santa knows, Santa is just
writing this stuff to cause Santa great hassle with the police, but...
If the questioning becomes repetitive (on the question or "I don't
know" answer side) and Santa wants to stop being detained, Santa might
want to note that Santa has nothing else to say and politely ask if
Santa can re-join Santa.
If Santa is still detained, Santa might benefit from politely looking
at and making note of the name on the Officer's name plate, in case
further communication is needed.
After that, silence and occasional polite requests to be able to leave
are possibly Santa's only friends.
Some more explicit tips....
If Santa walks around with a Bullhorn, police with think Santa is "in
charge"
...and Cindy Lou Who is just going to get chased by the Grinch. It's
just the way it happens.
If Santa is bored tonight, here's some videos that have scenarios in
interacting with police:
http://www.flexyourrights.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA
And then here's a fun one of a professor explaining why even talking
to the police and telling the truth can cause a person to be found
guilty of crimes they didn't commit, and a police officer agreeing
that could happen:
http://www.hackaday.com/2008/06/16/dont-talk-to-the-police/
Joe Borfo12.5.08 - 5:55 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
?
Where is the ride going to start?