A working officer who posts what he calls “Helpful police tips” on TikTok recently crafted a minute-long pointer on what to do if you’re placed in the back seat of his department-issued patrol car.
The cop, who uses the handle @police_g0tur6, says you might not be under arrest, either.
He explains that you might be told to have a seat for a few different reasons. Maybe there are too many people on scene and the officer wants to lessen the noise and confusion. They might also want to separate parties or individuals to keep things safe and calm.
Whatever the reason you’re in the back of a police cruiser, quit your yapping and stay still
“Everthing you say and you’re doing in the back of the patrol car is being recorded…audio and video.”
A police officer might “nonchalantly” ask you about their case, the situation, etcetera. He could even say, “Hey, off the record…”
But @police_g0tur6 reminds us, “Nothing’s ‘off the record.’ Everything’s being recorded.”
So what?
Well, in the moment, you might not be thinking about what could actually happen to you, your buddies, or your family if you keep talking or messing around back there.
But just know that whatever you say and do can be used against you in court.
So if a police officer keeps asking you to talk, all you have to say, politely, is, “Officer, I don’t want to answer any questions.”
“The officer will understand. Trust me,” @police_g0tur6 insists.
Florida defense attorney confirms
John Guidry has decades of criminal charge defense under his belt. He says that telling police officers that you want an attorney, while a solid move, isn’t enough. You also have to actually stop talking until one shows up.
The attorney’s reel below involves, unfortunately, a death, but the point remains:
And while Guidry says he knows his followers are sick of hearing it, he’s seen way too many cases where the charged individual basically tangle themselves up because they didn’t stop talking to police.
I’m by no means saying everyone should avoid being held accountable for crimes. But it’s important to understand your rights, including that one great big one about remaining silent.
