BE POLITE TO YOUR OFFICER: COURTESY DURING A POLICE STOP

Despite the bad apples you see in the news, the majority of police officers are decent people just trying to do a dangerous job the best way they can. Therefore, if you are stopped by police, you should treat them with the courtesy and respect you would want if you were in their shoes.

Of course, officers are not perfect. They make mistakes. Some officers go beyond that, abusing their authority. The news is filled with tragic examples of such abuse. We ourselves have seen evidence videos where our clients seem to have been stopped solely because they were teenagers or because they were a minority. Still, the place to fight that type of injustice is in the courtroom, not in your car.

We are not suggesting that you meekly answer all questions, submit to a search or sobriety testing. But your refusal should be polite. To an officer, argumentative or belligerent behavior is a sign of intoxication. We have seen videos where the officer might have released the client if the client had not become abusive. It is to your own benefit to live by the golden rule, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If you have been charged with DUI or other crime, contact an experienced attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for your best possible defense. Maybe the police lacked probable cause to arrest you. Being rude may be foolish, but it’s not illegal. If there were no signs of a criminal offense beyond your attitude, an experienced attorney may be able to petition the court to throw out the arrest.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)