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Arrest-Proof Yourself: An Ex-Cop Reveals How Easy It Is for Anyone to Get Arrested, How Even a Single Arrest Could Ruin Your Life, and What to Do If the Police Get in Your Face
This essential “how not to” guide explains how to act and what to say in the presence of police to minimize the chances of being arrested and to avoid add-on charges - which can often lead to permanent disqualification from jobs, financing, and education. Citizens can learn how to avoid arrest both on the street and when pulled over in a vehicle and are alerted to basic tricks cops use to get people to incriminate themselves. Sprinkled with absurdity and humor, this urgent, eye-opening book is a guide to criminal justice for all Americans.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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November 30, 2020
Feminism, piracy, profiling and how to avoid getting arrested,. but what to do if you are.
So, in effect the author is saying that if we had a proper, macho world run by the patriarchy where women knew their place then boys would be extremely aggressive, violent and badly-behaved (because that is normal) and then would grow up to be responsible, bring-home-the-bacon adult men. It's women's fault that there is so much male crime. What a load of crock. In every country of the world, even those where women can't as much as go to the shops without permission of their owners, it is overwhelming men who are the criminals. But only in America are so many of them young black males.
So the advice that is good is
1. Cops get promotion and raises on their arrest record. They're out to get you. They want to arrest the easiest targets. He says they do profile people, but no, they aren't racist, they don't target black people. Which as we all know is a lie.
2. Cops are highly trained in how to arrest people and enjoy doing their job. They're out to get you.
3. Courthouses, judges, prisons, cops etc are expensive. Fines help pay for them. They're out to get you.
4. Once you've been fingerprinted you're in the system forever. Future employers, partners, educators may well check you out. You don't have to be guilty, the arrest will still be there.
He did have one good point to make about women. Most people who are arrested and male and that this punishes women. They are the ones who have to fork out for the bail bondsman, they are the ones impoverished by the men's crime, that even a $3,000 bond requires $300 and that might mean a week's money. So it might. But it looks like we are talking only about people with very little money, perhaps even the 'hood. But no, they don't profile for race. Excuse my cynicism.
This is the best way not be stopped and possibly arrested.
1. Be a middle aged, middle-class white female whose left her weed at home and drives an ordinary car
2. Be a middle-aged, middle-class white male dressed in an office or outdoorsman sort of way driving in a nice car, no beer, no attitude.
3. Be old and nicely groomed and look like you are on your way to some old age social club.
Everyone else is out of luck. So when stopped, be polite, put your hands up on the wheel where they can be seen, treat the policeman like he is god (it's his moment, he has all the power), and tell him your name and what you are doing 'there' at that moment. Then shut up. Should you get arrested get a lawyer. Do not speak until you get one. Do not say, "I think I need a lawyer." Say, "I want a lawyer". But never stop being polite and without attitude. That is the advice cops give to their kids.
I have a story about being profiled. Some years back I was going out with a pirate. He was a South African lawyer on the run for having defrauded clients. One of his jobs was sailing a yacht from Miami to the Bahamas quite regularly. His employers were very wealthy African-American drug dealers looking all Miami with sharp clothes and heavy gold chains. When he asked why they didn't do the short run themselves, they said that being Black and looking as they did, not the usual sort of sailor, the coastguard would surely stop them. But that he as a middle-aged white professional in a nice yacht just sailing around the Caribbean would have no issues. They were right, of course.
Modern day piracy in the Caribbean
No reading notes as I totally rewrote this 29th Nov 2020.
"The social services plantation is staffed predominantly by women. Its attitudes are female, and most importantly, its definition of normalcy is female."The author has such a an extreme anti-feminist attitude, it's important to see where he is coming from before understanding the book and the (minimal) advice offered.
"For young men this is a disaster. The system defines many innate male behaviors as abnormal and sick. For example, the social services plantation's female overseers (teachers, social workers, counsellors, psychologists) stigmatize boys for fighting, throwing and kicking things, teasing, resisting authority etc. Yet these things are what little boys do. These behaviors are the play that become in a man fighting and hunting skills. Of course such behaviors need to be socialized and controlled, since we are no longer Neolithic hunter-gatherers, but they are not abnormal or sick."and it gets worse:
"Look at this another way. Do the female overseers ever stigmatize and punish little girls for doing any of the following?" Having too many friends. Forming overly intense personal relationships. Coloring too neatly within the lines and failing to be creative. Being too obedient to authority. Failing to challenge teachers and think outside the box. Failing to take risks. Lacking healthy aggression. Getting goofy over boys."The overwhelming majority of every home in the world with children has a mother who is primarily responsible for raising the children, it's not just the 'plantation overseers'! Note the words, deliberately used, "plantation" and "overseer". I was reading all this to my son and he said that it's not just mothers but fathers too that don't want their sons fighting, arguing with teachers, kicking and throwing things. It's not a good thing to suggest that good behaviour is feminine and that is wrong, but that bad, anti-social behaviour is a good, masculine thing. It's just not how parenting, schools, businesses and families work. Gangs might though.
So, in effect the author is saying that if we had a proper, macho world run by the patriarchy where women knew their place then boys would be extremely aggressive, violent and badly-behaved (because that is normal) and then would grow up to be responsible, bring-home-the-bacon adult men. It's women's fault that there is so much male crime. What a load of crock. In every country of the world, even those where women can't as much as go to the shops without permission of their owners, it is overwhelming men who are the criminals. But only in America are so many of them young black males.
So the advice that is good is
1. Cops get promotion and raises on their arrest record. They're out to get you. They want to arrest the easiest targets. He says they do profile people, but no, they aren't racist, they don't target black people. Which as we all know is a lie.
2. Cops are highly trained in how to arrest people and enjoy doing their job. They're out to get you.
3. Courthouses, judges, prisons, cops etc are expensive. Fines help pay for them. They're out to get you.
4. Once you've been fingerprinted you're in the system forever. Future employers, partners, educators may well check you out. You don't have to be guilty, the arrest will still be there.
He did have one good point to make about women. Most people who are arrested and male and that this punishes women. They are the ones who have to fork out for the bail bondsman, they are the ones impoverished by the men's crime, that even a $3,000 bond requires $300 and that might mean a week's money. So it might. But it looks like we are talking only about people with very little money, perhaps even the 'hood. But no, they don't profile for race. Excuse my cynicism.
This is the best way not be stopped and possibly arrested.
1. Be a middle aged, middle-class white female whose left her weed at home and drives an ordinary car
2. Be a middle-aged, middle-class white male dressed in an office or outdoorsman sort of way driving in a nice car, no beer, no attitude.
3. Be old and nicely groomed and look like you are on your way to some old age social club.
Everyone else is out of luck. So when stopped, be polite, put your hands up on the wheel where they can be seen, treat the policeman like he is god (it's his moment, he has all the power), and tell him your name and what you are doing 'there' at that moment. Then shut up. Should you get arrested get a lawyer. Do not speak until you get one. Do not say, "I think I need a lawyer." Say, "I want a lawyer". But never stop being polite and without attitude. That is the advice cops give to their kids.
I have a story about being profiled. Some years back I was going out with a pirate. He was a South African lawyer on the run for having defrauded clients. One of his jobs was sailing a yacht from Miami to the Bahamas quite regularly. His employers were very wealthy African-American drug dealers looking all Miami with sharp clothes and heavy gold chains. When he asked why they didn't do the short run themselves, they said that being Black and looking as they did, not the usual sort of sailor, the coastguard would surely stop them. But that he as a middle-aged white professional in a nice yacht just sailing around the Caribbean would have no issues. They were right, of course.
Modern day piracy in the Caribbean
No reading notes as I totally rewrote this 29th Nov 2020.
October 23, 2019
This is best suited for 13-30 year olds who are kind of dense, but it's great for everyone to skim. Many of us were stupid youngsters, but we used to be able to outlive or move away from our mistakes. We can't any more. Once arrested, you're in The System ("the Electronic Plantations" - Yes, he means slavery.) for life. It's not right or fair, but he's dealing with reality & the fact is one dumb-ass mistake as a kid (yes, even a juvenile) can haunt a person for life all over the country & even outside of it, so this book is all about how NOT to get arrested.
1) If cops can't see you, they can't arrest you.
2) Keep your drink & drugs at home.
3) Give cops your name and basic info, then shut the heck up!
He describes what you should do in many situations in detail.
- NEVER cop an attitude. Be polite & calm. Take any lumps, don't argue.
- Sign the ticket.
- If possible, ask for a notice to appear (NTA) rather than being arrested. NTA's aren't visible in the system if you're innocent.
He's long-winded & repetitive, but still entertaining. The book was well narrated, but this is probably best in text where you can skim. He covers a lot of excellent points such as "Stand & Defend", admissible evidence, & how to act in the presence of police. He seems to know his stuff. His dad was a sheriff. Carson was a cop, FBI agent, & is now a defense attorney. He tells the bald truth without a lot of PC crap, but he's not rude about it & makes his case each time he thinks he might offend. This book is about reality, not what should be in a perfect world. There's even a section on being an SJW. It probably won't work unless you have big bucks. Freedom isn't free. In fact, it's often ruinously expensive.
As he sees it, The System is not here for our life & liberty, but so the bureaucracy can perpetuate itself. Oh, it is necessary & does protect the bulk of society, but it's a kludge that has its own agenda such as the war on drugs by arresting folks one doobie at a time. (Does that help? Of course not, but it does fund a lot of jobs.) His main point is an arrest NEVER goes away. Even if you manage to get it expunged in one place, you can't get it out of every place, especially the Feds' NCIC database. Judges see prior arrests & take them into account even if you were innocent. The presumption of innocence is gone. That's neither right nor fair, but that's the reality. He stresses that we need better privacy laws, but that's not what this book is about.
His basic premise is that cops are predators. He says the cops go after types & look for cues such as 4 young men in a vehicle, attitude (loud or furtive behavior), & such, but skin color doesn't matter. The poor suffer more because they're more visible & have thinner walls. The police go after low-hanging fruit because they are rewarded by a point system for arrests with a misdemeanor being 1 point, lower felonies 2 points, etc. They get promoted by racking up points, so using tricks to add extra points (more charges for you) is typical behavior. The System likes this since those arrested then generate money to feed it. His advice is don't be seen by cops &, if you must, don't look arrestable. That means keeping vehicles legal & dressing appropriately for the surroundings. If you're in a suit in the hood (probably buying drugs or pussy) or wearing gang colors in an upscale neighborhood (probably casing a place), you'll arouse their curiosity & the hunt is on. Sure, they can be wrong, but usually they aren't.
The public outrage against profiling is PC bullshit. Everyone does it & will keep doing it, because we evolved to see patterns & it usually works. All the outrage has done is drive it off paper. Sometimes this works against cops (He gives an example of Orthodox Jews carrying drugs right past everyone.) but generally it does lead to picking up petty criminals, gaining them points, & feeding the system. Most arrests are made by cops on the streets. The big busts are relatively few & far between.
Many career criminals are raised in The System. They have few life skills & tend to live for the day without any conception of responsibility. He says they haven't kept up with social evolution & points out that watches are a relatively new innovation. "See" & "can't see" were all that really mattered until industrialization when factories & rail roads made minutes count. Days didn't matter as much as seasons & these people still live like that. He suggests that most would benefit more from classes in daily living skills, a watch, & a calendar than probation or jail time. They often screw up administrivia (fail to show up, file proper paperwork, pay fees on time, etc.) & often spend more time in jail for that than the original charge. This book is especially for these people.
He occasionally makes points about problems endemic to the system. One example: Women are the dominant force in most social nets such as school & child services. They often see young boys as dangerously nonconforming & don't understand their dangerous, stupid, & bewildering behavior, but it's often just boys being boys. This behavior has to be brought into the social norm, but "No Tolerance" policies & drugging kids wholesale isn't the answer.
Over & over, he makes the point that an arrest is almost as damning as a conviction & it's worth repeating. This info is available to anyone who wants to spend a little time & a few bucks looking. Most big companies routinely do a background check & won't hire you if an arrest shows on your record. They may fire you no matter how long you've worked there or how good you are if it happens - just an arrest, not a conviction. If you don't believe this, Carson gives a fictional example. Why? There are plenty of excellent real examples.
One of my local news stations posts arrests on Facebook all the time. In our small, redneck area, everyone knows everyone else. If you're arrested for speeding downtown on a 4 wheeler drunk while flying the Confederate flag & shooting into the air, most of the comments are jokes & somewhat positive, but lynch mobs want to go after anyone with any sort of child porn or rape charge in the headline. (Few read past the headline.) People often won't do business with the accused & they're often ostracized even after being found innocent. Child porn charges can easily be bogus since they're usually computer related & people get hacked. That link is very scary reading.
There are sections on kids, cars, & self-defense. The last includes dealing with friends & acquaintances. Search your car often if you have sketchy friends or even kids!. He even tells you what weapons to use to defend your person & home. Not going to dangerous areas & running are the best defense for the former. He concludes by reiterating mantras & even has checklists that you can carry in your wallet or give to your kid. I'd use them for & go over this book with my kids if they weren't already adults.
1) If cops can't see you, they can't arrest you.
2) Keep your drink & drugs at home.
3) Give cops your name and basic info, then shut the heck up!
He describes what you should do in many situations in detail.
- NEVER cop an attitude. Be polite & calm. Take any lumps, don't argue.
- Sign the ticket.
- If possible, ask for a notice to appear (NTA) rather than being arrested. NTA's aren't visible in the system if you're innocent.
He's long-winded & repetitive, but still entertaining. The book was well narrated, but this is probably best in text where you can skim. He covers a lot of excellent points such as "Stand & Defend", admissible evidence, & how to act in the presence of police. He seems to know his stuff. His dad was a sheriff. Carson was a cop, FBI agent, & is now a defense attorney. He tells the bald truth without a lot of PC crap, but he's not rude about it & makes his case each time he thinks he might offend. This book is about reality, not what should be in a perfect world. There's even a section on being an SJW. It probably won't work unless you have big bucks. Freedom isn't free. In fact, it's often ruinously expensive.
As he sees it, The System is not here for our life & liberty, but so the bureaucracy can perpetuate itself. Oh, it is necessary & does protect the bulk of society, but it's a kludge that has its own agenda such as the war on drugs by arresting folks one doobie at a time. (Does that help? Of course not, but it does fund a lot of jobs.) His main point is an arrest NEVER goes away. Even if you manage to get it expunged in one place, you can't get it out of every place, especially the Feds' NCIC database. Judges see prior arrests & take them into account even if you were innocent. The presumption of innocence is gone. That's neither right nor fair, but that's the reality. He stresses that we need better privacy laws, but that's not what this book is about.
His basic premise is that cops are predators. He says the cops go after types & look for cues such as 4 young men in a vehicle, attitude (loud or furtive behavior), & such, but skin color doesn't matter. The poor suffer more because they're more visible & have thinner walls. The police go after low-hanging fruit because they are rewarded by a point system for arrests with a misdemeanor being 1 point, lower felonies 2 points, etc. They get promoted by racking up points, so using tricks to add extra points (more charges for you) is typical behavior. The System likes this since those arrested then generate money to feed it. His advice is don't be seen by cops &, if you must, don't look arrestable. That means keeping vehicles legal & dressing appropriately for the surroundings. If you're in a suit in the hood (probably buying drugs or pussy) or wearing gang colors in an upscale neighborhood (probably casing a place), you'll arouse their curiosity & the hunt is on. Sure, they can be wrong, but usually they aren't.
The public outrage against profiling is PC bullshit. Everyone does it & will keep doing it, because we evolved to see patterns & it usually works. All the outrage has done is drive it off paper. Sometimes this works against cops (He gives an example of Orthodox Jews carrying drugs right past everyone.) but generally it does lead to picking up petty criminals, gaining them points, & feeding the system. Most arrests are made by cops on the streets. The big busts are relatively few & far between.
Many career criminals are raised in The System. They have few life skills & tend to live for the day without any conception of responsibility. He says they haven't kept up with social evolution & points out that watches are a relatively new innovation. "See" & "can't see" were all that really mattered until industrialization when factories & rail roads made minutes count. Days didn't matter as much as seasons & these people still live like that. He suggests that most would benefit more from classes in daily living skills, a watch, & a calendar than probation or jail time. They often screw up administrivia (fail to show up, file proper paperwork, pay fees on time, etc.) & often spend more time in jail for that than the original charge. This book is especially for these people.
He occasionally makes points about problems endemic to the system. One example: Women are the dominant force in most social nets such as school & child services. They often see young boys as dangerously nonconforming & don't understand their dangerous, stupid, & bewildering behavior, but it's often just boys being boys. This behavior has to be brought into the social norm, but "No Tolerance" policies & drugging kids wholesale isn't the answer.
Over & over, he makes the point that an arrest is almost as damning as a conviction & it's worth repeating. This info is available to anyone who wants to spend a little time & a few bucks looking. Most big companies routinely do a background check & won't hire you if an arrest shows on your record. They may fire you no matter how long you've worked there or how good you are if it happens - just an arrest, not a conviction. If you don't believe this, Carson gives a fictional example. Why? There are plenty of excellent real examples.
One of my local news stations posts arrests on Facebook all the time. In our small, redneck area, everyone knows everyone else. If you're arrested for speeding downtown on a 4 wheeler drunk while flying the Confederate flag & shooting into the air, most of the comments are jokes & somewhat positive, but lynch mobs want to go after anyone with any sort of child porn or rape charge in the headline. (Few read past the headline.) People often won't do business with the accused & they're often ostracized even after being found innocent. Child porn charges can easily be bogus since they're usually computer related & people get hacked. That link is very scary reading.
There are sections on kids, cars, & self-defense. The last includes dealing with friends & acquaintances. Search your car often if you have sketchy friends or even kids!. He even tells you what weapons to use to defend your person & home. Not going to dangerous areas & running are the best defense for the former. He concludes by reiterating mantras & even has checklists that you can carry in your wallet or give to your kid. I'd use them for & go over this book with my kids if they weren't already adults.
March 16, 2014
Legal advice from a former policeman, FBI agent, and prosecutor. Obey his three rules ("If cops can't see you, they can't arrest you," "Keep your dope at home," and "Give cops your name and basic info, then shut the heck up!") and you'll be well on the way to relative legal safety. It's a bit long for that level of content, but still might be useful to read to completion.
May 7, 2020
I learned something new on every page. It's a wonder I've never been arrested. When I've been stopped for speeding I always start fumbling around in my glove box for my paperwork when I see the officer start walking up. Don't do that. He/she might think you're looking for a weapon. I guess I don't look like a criminal with my gray hair, glasses and white skin. The author, Dale Carson, came right out and admitted that the police DO profile and went on to explain why. What? I am not the target audience for this book anyway. Carson said that men are much better at getting arrested than women.
The author is an ex-policeman, FBI Agent, and is now a criminal defense lawyer for the type of people he used to arrest. I believe the things he wrote. He sounds a bit like a macho know-it-all and wouldn't be disturbed if I called him one to his face. He'd probably laugh at me. I'd want him to be my lawyer if I ever got in trouble. I read this book for purely prurient reasons and was very satisfied.
The author is an ex-policeman, FBI Agent, and is now a criminal defense lawyer for the type of people he used to arrest. I believe the things he wrote. He sounds a bit like a macho know-it-all and wouldn't be disturbed if I called him one to his face. He'd probably laugh at me. I'd want him to be my lawyer if I ever got in trouble. I read this book for purely prurient reasons and was very satisfied.
November 3, 2010
I gave this book 5 stars because it confirms all sorts of horrible hunches I've had about the police. If you're a civil libertarian, it will terrify you. If you're not a civil libertarian, it will still terrify you. Carson outright admits that the government police and courts rely on shaking down the poor because they are the most vulnerable and visible. They are then slapped with a readily checked criminal record that follows them for life and can make anything other than menial employment impossible, leading him to dub the computerized justice system an "electronic plantation." He acknowledges that the best way to avoid arrest is to be obviously moneyed, socially-networked, and middle-class (though not too wealthy; he says repeatedly that he enjoyed "busting rich kids," and shares an anecdote about an attractive and successful woman executive whose life tailspins after she slaps a cop for sexually harassing her.) He laments that the middle-class turns to white-collar crime which is much harder for the cops to detect, and beat their women in isolated houses where no one can hear them, but reminds us that this is the way it is.
I could go on, but basically this is a terrifying confirmation of what many police brutality activists have been saying all along.
I could go on, but basically this is a terrifying confirmation of what many police brutality activists have been saying all along.
December 20, 2012
Ever been arrested? Even if you're not guilty or the case was dismissed, this book argues that an arrest is seen as a conviction and therefore a life of low-wage work.
This may seem like catastrophizing, but the author argues that if you've ever been arrested, people will think "Certainly, he/she MUST have been doing SOMETHING wrong!"
Some places will terminate (read: "lay off") ANY employee with an arrest record or unpaid tickets. I saw first-hand how my university's dining hall used "internal reorganization" to "lay off" anyone with a criminal background, even though these employees were non-violent offenders.
Though some of the things in this book may be common sense, many other things are not. It's full of good tips, especially the "car creds" and phrases you can use when interacting with police officers. It's also a relatively quick read
This may seem like catastrophizing, but the author argues that if you've ever been arrested, people will think "Certainly, he/she MUST have been doing SOMETHING wrong!"
Some places will terminate (read: "lay off") ANY employee with an arrest record or unpaid tickets. I saw first-hand how my university's dining hall used "internal reorganization" to "lay off" anyone with a criminal background, even though these employees were non-violent offenders.
Though some of the things in this book may be common sense, many other things are not. It's full of good tips, especially the "car creds" and phrases you can use when interacting with police officers. It's also a relatively quick read
April 21, 2011
Pros:
- Intelligent, witty writing
- An approachable, easy read
- An excellent, sympathetic account of the perspective of policemen, written by an ex-cop
- Reasonably good advice on how to deal with cops
- Generally admits the existence of individual and institutional misbehaviour; provides good, pragmatic advice on how to manage such incidents
Cons:
- Stereotype-friendly
- Promotes false stereotypes of poor people and minorities
- Conflates poverty and stupidity
- Makes false statements about institutional racism in order to deny, excuse, or minimise the problem.
- Justifies discriminatory behaviour by individual cops
Overall assessment: A good read if you can stomach it. Excellent counterpoint to Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow".
- Intelligent, witty writing
- An approachable, easy read
- An excellent, sympathetic account of the perspective of policemen, written by an ex-cop
- Reasonably good advice on how to deal with cops
- Generally admits the existence of individual and institutional misbehaviour; provides good, pragmatic advice on how to manage such incidents
Cons:
- Stereotype-friendly
- Promotes false stereotypes of poor people and minorities
- Conflates poverty and stupidity
- Makes false statements about institutional racism in order to deny, excuse, or minimise the problem.
- Justifies discriminatory behaviour by individual cops
Overall assessment: A good read if you can stomach it. Excellent counterpoint to Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow".
July 25, 2014
This book might have been intended as a no nonsense guide to avoiding accidental entry into the Criminal Justice panopticon and its attending financial burdens, but serves as an enlightening view into the inner workings of the Cop Mind.
December 25, 2012
Only thing I learned is that cops are dicks.
January 17, 2021
Found this book entertaining, here is my summary:
Main point: If cops can’t see you, they can’t arrest you!
Written by criminal defence attorney who worked previously as a cop and an FBI agent. Aims to reduce chance of you getting arrested based on American police system. One of the points is that now that police have electronic records a minor misdemeanour which you may have been charged with, then charges dropped can follow you all your life as opposed to paper. Book contains stories about peoples lives being ruined by being arrested, even though not charged. Never, under any circumstance, touch a police officer, even if the cop deserves it. You then pay a lot of lawyer fees, may get unfairly dismissed from your job, employer will cover their tracks and if you sue for unfair dismal get larger lawyer fees.
Jail is where you are held prior to trial, prison is where you serve your sentence.
Suggests for petty crime they should be given a citation rather than jail prior to a trial. Unless flight risk or threat to the community.
In Florida, officers cite someone for a misdemeanour, they write a ticket, take an electronic photo, and get a thumbprint. Then the person is released instead of going to jail. Offenders have to then show up in front of a judge on their own and get their sentence. Since they have not been jailed and had their funds extracted by attorneys and bondmen, they are more able to pay fines, court costs, and restitution.
Avoid getting arrested in the first place, if you are doing well you have a lot to lose, remember if the cops can’t see you they can’t arrest you.
If being arrested remember
1. You owe no duty to the police to help them arrest you or increase the charges against you by confessing, acting out, or responding to inciters
2. You do not cease to be a citizen or to have rights even if you did the crime and are clearly guilty.
Most arrests have avoidable add-on charges—fleeing, resisting arrest, and battery on a law enforcement officer. These have the potential to upgrade misdemeanours to felonies which then result in long sentences and high legal fees, scoring them more points.
It is an important thing to understand is that almost all police effort is put into hunting and arresting people. Cops are visual predators who drive around in cars and score points by making arrests, the higher points they score the more likely they are to get promoted and respect from their peers. Therefore they may opt for a car with five men in it as there are potentially more people to charge with drug possession.
On a quite day cops may start pulling over cars that were the same make and model as the number one most stolen car of that year. Simply by driving behind the car, putting the lights and with a single honk they can identify if it is a trouble maker. If the car is being driven by a citizen, they would just pull over and cop car would pass them by. If driven by a car thief they’d floor the gas and a chase would occur.
Most arrests occur in cars, carrying drugs in cars and on your person is the single largest cause of arrests in America so keep your drugs at home
Be polite to cops, say your name and basic info then be quite.
Suggests the major reason someone gets arrested as ‘cluelessness’. Cluelessness is behavioural rather than racial or ethnic. Suggests people change behaviour on holiday so rich people who often would do things in private then do it in public then get arrested and book thrown at them.
If you are in the unfortunate position of a cop be polite and keep the conversation as short as possible. Lose the attitude When you’re upset, you’re vulnerable because your emotions are raging and you can’t think clearly. Cops will take advantage of this, intensify routine questioning, and then search you and your vehicle. They may use inciters, such as whispered insults or a quick poke with the baton. If they’re successful in provoking you, they can upgrade a simple inquiry, traffic ticket, or misdemeanour into a felony bust. This scores more points for the cops. For you it doubles your legal fees, sends your bail amount soaring, and guarantees a stretch in the pen. It also puts a serious crime header on your National Crime Information Center information, so you can count on a lifetime of tough police scrutiny.
Don’t be clueless – if you have to attend for a court appearance or pay a fine do this. Keep your car tax and insured and don’t lend it to your friends unless they are a named driver on your insurance.
Has an interesting concept of a card that you would show cops, with required information which may say to the cops that you in essence have good connections and a lawyer so they may leave you alone.
Suggests if police speak to you
» Stand straight.
» Grip your hands to your trouser legs. Do not put your hands into your pockets, as this can be interpreted as an attempt to reach for a weapon. Do not raise your arms, as this is considered resisting arrest in many states.
» Close your eyes and mouth to minimize spit ingestion.
» Be absolutely silent. Don’t react. Don’t let the cop know he’s getting to you.
» Hang in there until the cop runs out of breath and stops yelling.
They may whisper insults to get you provoked or hit you. If they hit you the only defence is to drop to the ground in a foetal ball position. This will protect you from resisting and battery charges if witnesses and cameras are present, and it will protect your body even if they aren’t.
Really you have got nothing to gain by interacting with them, so behave politely for a few minutes.
Give your real name, not a nickname. If you give a nickname they then will come and talk to you if / when another crime is committed by someone with the same nickname such as ‘Bones’.
VISIBILITY. Cops first have to see you to stop and arrest you, so when will they arrest you do they see you:
1. If they can see you
2. If you meet a crook profile
3. If you are out of place - incongruity
Clueless people smoke and carry dope on the street, where cops can see them, stop them, and search them. Savvy people do their drugs in their homes or fenced backyards, and the cops drive by without stopping because they can’t see them. Same about may crimes, white colour criminal could be writing anything on the computer, the cop behind may see them but have no idea what they are doing, whereas someone who is carrying stolen goods may
These things will get the cops attention:
Carrying pry bars and hammers without a toolbox or work clothes
Running on the street and not wearing running clothes and shoes
Being under 16 and on the streets during school hours
Crouching in bushes
Carrying a box or TV or pillow case full of stuff
Having socks on your hands
This is also why you don’t want to speak to cops – they take down your details then if a crime occurs with someone matching your description they will come and question you.
Incongruity
The difference between ordinary people and cops is that police officers don’t have to imagine what’s going on; they can find out. They’re curious predators, trained and paid to be nosy. If you don’t fit with what they expect to see they will ask what you are doing.
Car driving slowly by million-dollar homes
Man in suit strolling along loading docks at midnight with no ships at the docks
Very expensive car driving in a poor neighbourhood
Woman in evening gown walking alone on a dirt road
Wearing winter clothes when it is very warm outside
None these activities are not illegal, just unusual. They make curious cops want to stop the people involved and find out more.
If you see a cop or a car going past what do you do: Answer : nothing.
Police are visual predators. Any sudden change in motion, speed, direction, or behaviour immediately attracts their attention. It’s an incongruity. Whatever you were doing before the police appeared, keep doing it, unless illegal. So don’t see them then turn around and change direction or start running away.
If, however you encounter an active crime scene you should change direction, turn around, cross the street, or do whatever it takes to get out of there. There is nothing to gain, they often look at people who are standing to see if they are the murders returning to the scene, or perhaps even worse you could then get seen talking to the cops and then the real criminals may think you are a grass! In these situations the cops expect you to clear the area.
When cops say, “Hey you, c’mere.” You respond, “Officer, have I done something wrong?” When cops ask, “Why are you hiding?” You respond, “Because I’m afraid of police.”
If you found this helpful please check out my website for more summaries: www.chrisweatherburn.com
If you want to see my VLOG summary here it is: https://youtu.be/quWrIhNQG6o
Main point: If cops can’t see you, they can’t arrest you!
Written by criminal defence attorney who worked previously as a cop and an FBI agent. Aims to reduce chance of you getting arrested based on American police system. One of the points is that now that police have electronic records a minor misdemeanour which you may have been charged with, then charges dropped can follow you all your life as opposed to paper. Book contains stories about peoples lives being ruined by being arrested, even though not charged. Never, under any circumstance, touch a police officer, even if the cop deserves it. You then pay a lot of lawyer fees, may get unfairly dismissed from your job, employer will cover their tracks and if you sue for unfair dismal get larger lawyer fees.
Jail is where you are held prior to trial, prison is where you serve your sentence.
Suggests for petty crime they should be given a citation rather than jail prior to a trial. Unless flight risk or threat to the community.
In Florida, officers cite someone for a misdemeanour, they write a ticket, take an electronic photo, and get a thumbprint. Then the person is released instead of going to jail. Offenders have to then show up in front of a judge on their own and get their sentence. Since they have not been jailed and had their funds extracted by attorneys and bondmen, they are more able to pay fines, court costs, and restitution.
Avoid getting arrested in the first place, if you are doing well you have a lot to lose, remember if the cops can’t see you they can’t arrest you.
If being arrested remember
1. You owe no duty to the police to help them arrest you or increase the charges against you by confessing, acting out, or responding to inciters
2. You do not cease to be a citizen or to have rights even if you did the crime and are clearly guilty.
Most arrests have avoidable add-on charges—fleeing, resisting arrest, and battery on a law enforcement officer. These have the potential to upgrade misdemeanours to felonies which then result in long sentences and high legal fees, scoring them more points.
It is an important thing to understand is that almost all police effort is put into hunting and arresting people. Cops are visual predators who drive around in cars and score points by making arrests, the higher points they score the more likely they are to get promoted and respect from their peers. Therefore they may opt for a car with five men in it as there are potentially more people to charge with drug possession.
On a quite day cops may start pulling over cars that were the same make and model as the number one most stolen car of that year. Simply by driving behind the car, putting the lights and with a single honk they can identify if it is a trouble maker. If the car is being driven by a citizen, they would just pull over and cop car would pass them by. If driven by a car thief they’d floor the gas and a chase would occur.
Most arrests occur in cars, carrying drugs in cars and on your person is the single largest cause of arrests in America so keep your drugs at home
Be polite to cops, say your name and basic info then be quite.
Suggests the major reason someone gets arrested as ‘cluelessness’. Cluelessness is behavioural rather than racial or ethnic. Suggests people change behaviour on holiday so rich people who often would do things in private then do it in public then get arrested and book thrown at them.
If you are in the unfortunate position of a cop be polite and keep the conversation as short as possible. Lose the attitude When you’re upset, you’re vulnerable because your emotions are raging and you can’t think clearly. Cops will take advantage of this, intensify routine questioning, and then search you and your vehicle. They may use inciters, such as whispered insults or a quick poke with the baton. If they’re successful in provoking you, they can upgrade a simple inquiry, traffic ticket, or misdemeanour into a felony bust. This scores more points for the cops. For you it doubles your legal fees, sends your bail amount soaring, and guarantees a stretch in the pen. It also puts a serious crime header on your National Crime Information Center information, so you can count on a lifetime of tough police scrutiny.
Don’t be clueless – if you have to attend for a court appearance or pay a fine do this. Keep your car tax and insured and don’t lend it to your friends unless they are a named driver on your insurance.
Has an interesting concept of a card that you would show cops, with required information which may say to the cops that you in essence have good connections and a lawyer so they may leave you alone.
Suggests if police speak to you
» Stand straight.
» Grip your hands to your trouser legs. Do not put your hands into your pockets, as this can be interpreted as an attempt to reach for a weapon. Do not raise your arms, as this is considered resisting arrest in many states.
» Close your eyes and mouth to minimize spit ingestion.
» Be absolutely silent. Don’t react. Don’t let the cop know he’s getting to you.
» Hang in there until the cop runs out of breath and stops yelling.
They may whisper insults to get you provoked or hit you. If they hit you the only defence is to drop to the ground in a foetal ball position. This will protect you from resisting and battery charges if witnesses and cameras are present, and it will protect your body even if they aren’t.
Really you have got nothing to gain by interacting with them, so behave politely for a few minutes.
Give your real name, not a nickname. If you give a nickname they then will come and talk to you if / when another crime is committed by someone with the same nickname such as ‘Bones’.
VISIBILITY. Cops first have to see you to stop and arrest you, so when will they arrest you do they see you:
1. If they can see you
2. If you meet a crook profile
3. If you are out of place - incongruity
Clueless people smoke and carry dope on the street, where cops can see them, stop them, and search them. Savvy people do their drugs in their homes or fenced backyards, and the cops drive by without stopping because they can’t see them. Same about may crimes, white colour criminal could be writing anything on the computer, the cop behind may see them but have no idea what they are doing, whereas someone who is carrying stolen goods may
These things will get the cops attention:
Carrying pry bars and hammers without a toolbox or work clothes
Running on the street and not wearing running clothes and shoes
Being under 16 and on the streets during school hours
Crouching in bushes
Carrying a box or TV or pillow case full of stuff
Having socks on your hands
This is also why you don’t want to speak to cops – they take down your details then if a crime occurs with someone matching your description they will come and question you.
Incongruity
The difference between ordinary people and cops is that police officers don’t have to imagine what’s going on; they can find out. They’re curious predators, trained and paid to be nosy. If you don’t fit with what they expect to see they will ask what you are doing.
Car driving slowly by million-dollar homes
Man in suit strolling along loading docks at midnight with no ships at the docks
Very expensive car driving in a poor neighbourhood
Woman in evening gown walking alone on a dirt road
Wearing winter clothes when it is very warm outside
None these activities are not illegal, just unusual. They make curious cops want to stop the people involved and find out more.
If you see a cop or a car going past what do you do: Answer : nothing.
Police are visual predators. Any sudden change in motion, speed, direction, or behaviour immediately attracts their attention. It’s an incongruity. Whatever you were doing before the police appeared, keep doing it, unless illegal. So don’t see them then turn around and change direction or start running away.
If, however you encounter an active crime scene you should change direction, turn around, cross the street, or do whatever it takes to get out of there. There is nothing to gain, they often look at people who are standing to see if they are the murders returning to the scene, or perhaps even worse you could then get seen talking to the cops and then the real criminals may think you are a grass! In these situations the cops expect you to clear the area.
When cops say, “Hey you, c’mere.” You respond, “Officer, have I done something wrong?” When cops ask, “Why are you hiding?” You respond, “Because I’m afraid of police.”
If you found this helpful please check out my website for more summaries: www.chrisweatherburn.com
If you want to see my VLOG summary here it is: https://youtu.be/quWrIhNQG6o
July 15, 2012
A four star rating because it's easy to read and has invaluable information not for any literary reason. Couldn't we have non-fiction informative rating and a literature rating so they don't get confused?
December 24, 2024
A decent overview of the citizen’s relationship to law enforcement with some novel tips I’d never heard elsewhere (such as the recommendations to carry “car creds,” or to voluntarily soil yourself in order to prevent an arrest - noted!), but nothing particularly groundbreaking for those who already know not to talk to the police or consent to searches.
There’s some interesting (and oftentimes problematic, to say the least) color commentary from the author here, who has a uniquely germane perspective as a former cop and current defense attorney. That justifies the price of admission, but the book gets meandering and repetitive near the end - the editor probably should’ve cut 100 pages.
Of particular interest to me was how, at some point, the author suggests that “RUH2?” is Internet-slang for “are you horny, too?” As far as I can tell using Google, no one has EVER ONCE used this piece of slang, so it’s just a completely random thing he made up to use as an example. A very strange decision that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
There’s some interesting (and oftentimes problematic, to say the least) color commentary from the author here, who has a uniquely germane perspective as a former cop and current defense attorney. That justifies the price of admission, but the book gets meandering and repetitive near the end - the editor probably should’ve cut 100 pages.
Of particular interest to me was how, at some point, the author suggests that “RUH2?” is Internet-slang for “are you horny, too?” As far as I can tell using Google, no one has EVER ONCE used this piece of slang, so it’s just a completely random thing he made up to use as an example. A very strange decision that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
April 30, 2021
This book is for everyday citizens to learn how to best protect their rights when it comes to law enforcement. I highly recommend to anyone interested in learning how to protect your rights, anticipate and avoid dangerous situations, or understand the policing process in America. The author was a police officer, FBI agent, and now criminal defense attorney. This is the person I would want to learn from when it came to what I can and can't do when it comes to engaging with law enforcement. The author also provides actionable advice and resources in the book to prepare yourself for a variety of situations such as being pulled over for a speeding ticket or for being questioned on the street about a crime in the area.
December 12, 2022
The page number makes this book seem huge but it really isn't. Lots of pictures and blank pages means that I was able to read it in two days. I found it entertaining for the most part but not much of it was aimed towards the kind of people who will actually pick up this book and read it.
Follow the three rules listed in the beginning, don't go out between midnight to 4am, keep your licenses up to date, and you can skip the time that you would spend reading this book.
Follow the three rules listed in the beginning, don't go out between midnight to 4am, keep your licenses up to date, and you can skip the time that you would spend reading this book.
July 1, 2020
An Entertaining/Informative Must-Read if you love Freedom
It's a must read for any citizen. This book has a lot of helpful insight on how to maintain your freedom. "Don't antagonize the police, they are armed and dangerous," is one the best pieces of advice in this book, and after reading this book, you'll know why! Excellent read that I highly recommend!!!
It's a must read for any citizen. This book has a lot of helpful insight on how to maintain your freedom. "Don't antagonize the police, they are armed and dangerous," is one the best pieces of advice in this book, and after reading this book, you'll know why! Excellent read that I highly recommend!!!
July 28, 2021
A lot of advice that makes sense, but is not commonly found or obvious in foresight. Some advice that seems over the top, but it is arrest-proof yourself not arrest-resist yourself, so I understand why. I'll heed the advice that makes sense to me and keep in mind the ones that are over the top. Don't live in fear of the justice system, but understand the consequences.
July 14, 2020
Not quite sure how to rate this one. I enjoyed his writing style every time I began reading, but it sometimes came off as egotistical, smug, and patronizing and I had to put the book down. There´s a lot to unpack in this book; I found it helpful.
November 7, 2017
This is a book everyone should read. Its well written, easy to read, and has some sarcastic humor. It gets a bit repetitive but well worth sticking it out.
December 15, 2017
Good advice on how to help your teenager keep from screwing up his life.
August 26, 2018
Did not format well on Kindle
May 1, 2019
Funny and serious at the same time!! Excellent read - learned much
April 5, 2021
Great info but holy crap did he stretch it out. About 1/10 the book is actual actionable information and advice. The rest is a bunch of the opinions and filler.
December 9, 2010
I gave this book 5 stars because it confirms all sorts of horrible hunches I've had about the police. If you're a civil libertarian, it will terrify you. If you're not a civil libertarian, it will still terrify you. Carson outright admits that the government police and courts rely on shaking down the poor because they are the most vulnerable and visible. They are then slapped with a readily checked criminal record that follows them for life and can make anything other than menial employment impossible, leading him to dub the computerized justice system an "electronic plantation." He acknowledges that the best way to avoid arrest is to be obviously moneyed, socially-networked, and middle-class (though not too wealthy; he says repeatedly that he enjoyed "busting rich kids," and shares an anecdote about an attractive and successful woman executive whose life tailspins after she slaps a cop for sexually harassing her.) He laments that the middle-class turns to white-collar crime which is much harder for the cops to detect, and beat their women in isolated houses where no one can hear them, but reminds us that this is the way it is.
I could go on, but basically this is a terrifying confirmation of what many police brutality activists have been saying all along.
I could go on, but basically this is a terrifying confirmation of what many police brutality activists have been saying all along.
May 25, 2013
If you haven't had ANY interaction with ANY form of law enforcement or the judicial system since around 1995...read this book.
If you have had prior interactions and were not arrested, not indicted, were indicted and found innocent of criminal charges, yet wish to have no further interactions with law enforcement or the judicial system, read this book.
If you have young children or nieces/nephews that have yet to have had any interactions with law enforcement or the judicial system and you wish to keep it that way, read this book and explain what you read to them AND give them a copy of this book.
If you have a record of multiple interactions, arrest and/or convictions, don't bother...there is nothing in this book to keep you from ever being arrested again, since you're obviously an idiot or career criminal.
If you have had prior interactions and were not arrested, not indicted, were indicted and found innocent of criminal charges, yet wish to have no further interactions with law enforcement or the judicial system, read this book.
If you have young children or nieces/nephews that have yet to have had any interactions with law enforcement or the judicial system and you wish to keep it that way, read this book and explain what you read to them AND give them a copy of this book.
If you have a record of multiple interactions, arrest and/or convictions, don't bother...there is nothing in this book to keep you from ever being arrested again, since you're obviously an idiot or career criminal.
December 2, 2014
I have never encountered such a book where on one paragraph I'm like "YEAH SAY IT" and the next I'm like "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" It's one thing to offer advice in a "know your rights" fashion, it's another to suggest that the victim is to blame in every single situation, that if they had only followed your advice, they would have never been targeted or arrested.
The author also has the disadvantage of me reading this in the time of Ferguson. Someone recently said to me in some unsolicited rant, "Mike Brown should have been at home." Similarly, the author's #1 golden rule is, "If they can't see you, they can't arrest you." So what, never go out if you're someone that cops profile? Not into it.
The author also has the disadvantage of me reading this in the time of Ferguson. Someone recently said to me in some unsolicited rant, "Mike Brown should have been at home." Similarly, the author's #1 golden rule is, "If they can't see you, they can't arrest you." So what, never go out if you're someone that cops profile? Not into it.
Read
July 23, 2011Depressing but useful book co-written by an ex-cop turned defense attorney, which proves that we live in a police state where cops are a law unto themselves. For instance, if four young guys are riding in a car, chances are the cops are going to pull them over. Why? Because they can....Another trick the ex-cop mentions that he used to use is finding out what was the most stolen make of car in the jurisdiction where he worked, then pulling over everyone driving that model. If the driver stopped, he knew the person had probably done nothing wrong, while if the driver took off like a bat out of hell, the cop knew he had a live one....
August 4, 2014
Good book. You can tell it was written by a cop. I think the best strategy is to avoid the police at all cost. It is all about submission. Even if you do all the right things, the police can beat one person in a thousand. They prefer to save that for the folks who know their rights and refuse to submit. If you do have to deal with the police submit early when it is easy to do so and still save face.
February 22, 2009
An informative view into the the world of cops and criminals with strong-armed commentary on our society. This book fits in my true life government conspiracy / underground urban survival section of my library - right next to "How to Sh** in the Woods" and "The Bust Book." Entertaining, quick, and surprisingly intelligent but rigid.
August 12, 2014
A very goodread that highlights why you, even being law-abiding, may be at high risk of being arrested &, thus, having your future job & travel prospects negatively affected.
This ex-cop/ex=FBI goes through the basis for today's arrest-happy police and givers plenty of solid & practical advice on how to avoid it, for yuorself & for your kids.
This ex-cop/ex=FBI goes through the basis for today's arrest-happy police and givers plenty of solid & practical advice on how to avoid it, for yuorself & for your kids.
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