Something like this happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

I was given a citation, started to leave, and was then asked if I would stay and answer a few more questions. "Officer am I being detained"? He said no so I told him I was going to leave and started walking back to my car. I am then told that I was now being detained, because my refusal to answer questions or have my vehicle searched was "suspicious".

To be fair I was a California resident driving through Des Moines, so I must have some kind of Scarface/Breaking Bad operation going on, right?

I am then told that I was now being detained, because my refusal to answer questions or have my vehicle searched was "suspicious".

This is a question I have, and I'm writing something for my book about this right now. Just interviewed a cop from Washington State yesterday. I could tell on the phone that he's just a great guy and fair, and not every cop is like that of course.

Apparently, Bill Gates, when stopped, just cracks the window and slides his papers through and a car saying he's been advised not to say anything by his lawyers.

This officer said it's your Constitutional right to decline a search -- but others may not be so respectful and may be of the notion (erroneous and awful that I hear from too many people): Why would it matter that you're searched if you have nothing to hide?

From law prof James Duane's video, Why You Should Never Talk to The Police, anything you say to a police officer can be used against you in court:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkZf6_jK3Zs

[James Duane] For example, suppose you tell this to the police. Here's what you client tells to the police, in his denial of guilt: "I- I don't know what you are talking about. I wouldn- I didn't kill Jones and I don't know who did. I wasn't anywhere near that place. I don't have a gun, and I have never owned a gun in my life. I don't even know how to use a gun. Yeah, sure I never liked the guy, but who did? I wouldn't kill him. I have never hurt anybody in my life, and I would never do such a thing."

Let's suppose every word of that is true. One hundred percent of it is true. What will the jury hear at trial? "Officer Bruke, was there anything about this- your interrogation, your interview with the suspect that made you concerned that he might be the right one?" "Yes there was. He confessed to me that he never liked the guy'"

Officer George Bruch of the VA Beach Police Dept - said everything Duarte said was true:

The first thing police officer will ask you - Do you know how fast you were going. And if the speed limit is 35 you’ll say, uh 38-40, because you want to be kind of honest even though you were doing 50. You just said 38-40. You just admitted to breaking the law. You just confessed. So they can go to court with that, with a confession that you were exceeding the speed limit."

Why would it matter that you're searched if you have nothing to hide?

Heh. On the advice of my lawyer, I'm going to have to insist my lawyer be present before I waive any rights.

I'd recommend that all your readers go to the Flex Your Rights site, buy all their videos, and watch them repeatedly until they internalize the principles. Have your kids, especially, do the same.

The nice cops who look for the real criminal like on TV really do exist, but they aren't all like that.

I would also recommend the book "Arrest Proof Yourself" by Dale C Carson.

Available through Amazon (remember to buy through Amy's Mall link)

Thanks Amy- I watched all 4 parts just as a refresher course. I wish they would teach this in every high school civics class.

Then there is the video for open carry.