Surviving Police Encounters And What To Do If You Go to Jail

On our worst day, our instincts can betray our better judgment and we, as flawed, feeling, individuals, are capable of making serious mistakes in life. Whether it's getting behind the wheel after a night out with the girls, or guys, or succumbing to our baser instincts and emotions like anger, it can happen to every single person. If you're saying, "No, not me," then you're kidding yourselves. People that have encounters with the police and end up in jail come from all walks of life--doctors, lawyers, judges, cops, ministers, college kids, and husbands or wives find their way into shiny bracelets every day. It's how you handle the encounter that will define, at least for the time being, your immediate and potentially long-term futures.

The Traffic Stop

Almost 230 million people in the United States had a driver's license in 2019. But, how many of those drivers know the difference between what it's smart to do if they're pulled over and what they have to do. For example, in the state of Illinois, this is an implied consent state and if you're pulled over under the suspicion of DUI and you fail to perform the requested sobriety tests you'll face a year-long suspension of your license. While you may be able to plea down the first case to reckless driving, your going to have to petition to get your license back, spend ten to twenty-thousand in legal fees, and make multiple appearances in court.

Not that I'm advocating for driving under the influence, because it is genuinely a horrible idea. But, ask yourself, have you ever been over the limit and driven. I'm sure, as we all hit adulthood, we've been there and gotten lucky at least once or twice. So, why did you get lucky and the other guy not? Perhaps it's because you're the guy or gal that makes sure that all of your vehicle equipment works. As yourself, what's the most common probable cause for a traffic stop. As someone who spent a lifetime around law enforcement, professionally-I can tell you that the simple little bulb that lights up your license plate is an easy stop to make.

Speeding tickets are common and traffic stops for speeding are probably the second most common stop on the roads. Coming just from Dixon Illinois to my hometown two hours away, I spotted eight patrol cars and four stops. The funniest part of the stops, as I got over to the left lane to comply with Scotts Law, was the cars they pulled over. They were some of the same drivers that shot past me. If you don't live in Illinois and aren't familiar with our roads, the speed limit on most of the highway areas is 70 mph. So, if you're driving through Illinois at 80, expect a visit from one of our friendly, professional, Illinois State Troopers, of which, there were six on an overpass as they monitored speeds and swooped down upon the dangerous drivers of the day.

So, you've been pulled over, because you were not using your "common sense" behind the wheel. Perhaps you were speeding, perhaps you were playing on your phone or texting. Perhaps you were drinking and swerving all over the road. What should you expect to happen? What comes next, is largely up to you.

While you're sitting there, turn off the engine, get your driver's license and insurance card out and ready, and put your hands on the steering wheel. Await the officers approach and stay calm. What's done is done, now it is time to be a responsible adult and use some of that old-fashioned "common sense." I've been pulled over several times in my life, both before and while wearing a badge, in my home area, and while on vacation. My last ticket was for speeding and it was coming out of Florida. I put my hands on the steering wheel, waited for the officer to come up to the driver's door, and watched him in my rearview mirror. I was a little surprised to see him loosen the snap on his holster, but I was a stranger in a black SUV with tinted windows on the back half of the vehicle. He just wanted to be ready, and hopefully, make it home at the end of the day. What did I do, I rolled down my window and put my hands on the door so he could see them as he approached.

Upon the officer addressing me, I didn't call him names, I didn't get "pissy" because he was doing his job. I knew I was speeding, and so were 90 percent of the cars on the road. Sure, it sucked that he got me, but again, I was speeding. Not only was I speeding, in a 75 mph zone I was doing nearly 95. When the officer asked, I presented my license and I told him my insurance card was in the console. He asked if I had "any weapons" on me or in the vehicle. I told him no and he asked me to slowly open the console. Sure, I get it, he doesn't know if I'm telling the truth.

I gave him my information and he told me to hang tight. A few minutes later he brought me a ticket for speeding, as I expected. The officer asked if I had any questions. He then proceeded to tell me how as an out-of-state resident there was a number I could call and try to arrange to proceed without coming back for court. I was given the number of the local prosecutor's office and the State Police office which he was out of. It was all very amicable, very professional, and completely sucked. But, as I said, I was speeding. It wasn't anyone else's fault but mine.

This stop could have played much differently if I'd done any of the following.

1. Had illegal drugs or substances in the vehicle

2. Had illegal weapons in the vehicle

3. Had outstanding warrants and decided to travel.

4. Had someone in my car I shouldn't have.

5. Decided to be an uncooperative prick.

6. Fought the cops.

When I was younger I was questioned by the police many times. I was a complete "knucklehead" and deserved to be questioned. I was always running with a rough crowd, acting like a fool, and being irresponsible. I always survived the encounters because of one basic rule of thumb, don't fight the guys with the guns. Today, that's a different sentiment, because the cops are almost afraid to protect themselves, much less use their weapons. Perhaps my generation was either more respectful or just knew better than fight guys who were vested with the authority to kick our "asses" if they had to, to get the job done.

JAIL

Jail is a different world. Confinement isn't the natural human condition to live within. Every year tens of thousands of people find their way to jail. Many of them arrive and after a waiting period get to go home to fight their cases. Some will have to face the judge before being eligible to be released. Others, they'll likely never see freedom again. In my time as a jail officer, I probably learned as much about people from the people I was charged with locking up as I did from anyone else.

The Central Booking areas of jails are all similar in tasks, if not in operation. When you're brought to jail, the arresting officers are transferring custody of you to the jail. That's where you'll stay until your release.

So, what do you do to survive the first days in jail? They're fairly simple, common-sense issues. The most important one is to remember that the jail staff, usually a correctional deputy at a Sheriff's Department, didn't arrest you. As frustrated as you may be, it isn't their fault you're there. You're already inside, behind thick walls of concrete, and behind steel doors and bars. Essentially, you're in a hole. What's the first rule of being in a hole? Stop digging.

For 23 years I worked booking and was in charge of a shift at the facility I worked for. I can count on one hand the number of physical altercations that I was on the losing side of the fight. I couldn't count the total number of altercations on a good day and with the benefit of an eidetic memory. In time people found that I could be the guy that helped them figure their next moves and would treat them with as much respect as they deserved. Those that wanted to fight learned that there are always more of us than them, and with training and practice, we knew how to take care of ourselves against 99 percent of the arrestees.

If you're in that group that thinks you'd rather make it easier than harder, then here are a few tips to remember as you go through the process.

1. Don't be an ass.

Many decent people come to jail and decide to act out, due to chemicals, frustration, or anger that they want to displace anywhere else besides themselves.

2. Don't play games.

I once watched a woman pretend not to speak English all night long over what was a simple driving on a suspended license arrest. This should have been, under the circumstances that day, a contact booking. She could have been out of jail an hour later if she'd told the truth, but at 7:00 a.m. she suddenly knew English when she needed to be at work thirty minutes later. Peoples games tend to get them into trouble. That's where the saying, "Play stupid games, get stupid prizes," comes from.

3. Cooperate.

If you're already in jail, be it for a drug offense, a theft, or a crime against a person, cooperation is going to get you through the process from the concrete holding cell to a bed much faster than failing to be cooperative. You chose not to act like a good citizen before coming into this new world, now you have a choice of how you'd like to be judged by the officers that will be in charge of your detention and care.

Jail is a traumatic experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone. From the fingerprinting, photographs, and intrusive questions, to the strip search, showering, and having to share a shower with a few dozen strangers, it's all bad. The food, don't forget that the food is put together for as little as possible on a government budget. You definitely won't be eating steaks while you're in jail, and there is no sex allowed under the Prison Rape Elimination Act laws. So, if you're in jail and having sex, it's not the sex you're likely to want.

4. Don't fight the jail staff.

Jail staff are a special breed of tough. They face the same "Bad guys" as the police, every day, when the bad guys are desperate, lonely, depressed, off their meds, or worse. They get into fights, they get hurt, they get into more fights, and they continue to go on. Some have more fights than the average professional fighter does, and many spend hours in the gyms, practicing martial arts, or learning to channel their anger through aggressive behavior. They're not going to carry you through fifteen rounds, they're going to do what needs doing to end the threat and end it fast.

Jail is a place for inherently criminally minded individuals, many of whom are unfortunately violent and predators by nature. It's best to try to avoid ending up in jail, and something that millions of people tend to do every day. So, take my word for it, or watch the video by Chris Rock. He says it best. Seriously, this is all one hundred percent but amped for comic effect by this genius comedian. I'll warn you if you're language-sensitive, some language that Mr. Rock is strongly worded.

That's all folks. If I can manage to keep out of trouble and survive numerous encounters with the police as a civilian, it must not be that hard.

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