Posted by Sam at September 11th, 2007

I imagine this kind of stuff happens a lot, but the average citizen doesn’t have a camera in their car to capture it.

This kid gets pulled over for no reason. When I say no reason, I’m not saying it like there is a reason but I’m playing dumb, I mean the cop admits he has no reason. He says he will throw the kid in jail on 9 made up charges. It’s really unbelievable.

Here is the contact information for the police chief at that department, should you want to express your outrage:

St. George Police Scott Uhrig
9041 Southview Lane
St. George 63123
314-631-1295
314-631-2252 fax

This reminds me of the Stanford Prison experiment where they took a bunch of students and made a fake jail with guards and inmates. They experiment had to be called off early because people were taking it a bit to seriously and it got out of hand. Power corrupts.

The cops around Provo and Orem that I have dealt with have always been reasonably courteous and helpful. Sure I’ve met some jerk cops before, but out here they seem to be small in numbers.

Remember: your fourth amendment grants you the right to refuse to show ID. If a cop asks for your driver’s license, he has to have probable cause and he has to have observed you operating a vehicle. In normal situations, the only thing you are required to give police is your name, address, and an explanation of your actions (this is the law in Utah).

Of course, if you are pulled over in your car, its wise to show ID in any case, simply because an officer will be able to come up with SOMETHING you’re doing wrong. It is still reasonable to ask “have I done something wrong?” and if they say “no.” then “am I free to go?”

Whatever the situation, police are usually not well versed in your rights. Most of them probably don’t know what the fourth amendment is. So if you try to protect your rights by refusing to show ID, only giving them the required information, etc. they might arrest you. They will probably come up with charges later.

So it’s a catch 22. You have the rights on paper, but its incredibly difficult to protect and exercise them. You can use your brain to decide how and when to use them.

A few links of interest:

When do I have to show ID?
State by State Stop and Identify Laws
When are police officers allowed to search me
When can a security officer search you

And my favorite - and only loosely related: You do not need to show your receipt when leaving a store. They have a right to ask for you receipt, and you have a right to decline. They cannot detain you or stop you from leaving unless they have reasonable suspicion that you have stolen something. Refusal to show proof of purchase for property that is now yours is not reasonable suspicion. Note: Don’t try this at Costco or Sam’s Club.