New York City Mayor: Don't Resist Arrest

[mwrguy]

It's not the cops' fault that they choke citizens to death, it's that uppity citizens don't go meekly like sheep.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that people of his city should always cooperate with police officers when placed under arrest.

“When a police officer comes to the decision that it’s time to arrest someone, that individual is obligated to submit to arrest,” de Blasio said at a press conference, The New York Post reported.

De Blasio was responding to a statement made Tuesday by the city's police commissioner Bill Bratton, who said in a radio interview “[t]he place to argue your case is in court, not in the middle of the street.”

More broadly, the mayor's remarks came on the heels of recent outrage over the death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner, killed in a chokehold by a NYPD officer.



http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bill-de-blasio-dont-resist-arrest

[tblue37]

1. Even when they don't resist arrest, the cops automatically chant,

"Stop resisting arrest," over and over again as they beat the living crap out of them.

[gratuitous]

14. This is true

One of the reporters who got taken for a ride downtown from the Ferguson McDonald's last night was as cooperative as possible, and the arresting officers kept shouting at him to "stop resisting." Yes, it's good advice to argue a case for wrongful arrest or excessive force in court, not with the arresting officer, but the reality of the matter is that far too often we are left with the word of only the survivor of the citizen/officer encounter to reach an adjudication on the merits.

[Tikki]

2. Bring Defense Attorneys or a Citizen's Advocate to the site of each arrest. They can ride along.

Last edited Thu Aug 14, 2014, 08:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Works for me....


Tikki

[LiberalElite]

22. Ideally, the protesters in Ferguson should have

legal observers like from the National Lawyers Guild. Their members have volunteered in numerous anti-war demos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lawyers_Guild

[Live and Learn]

3. How about we'll follow their orders when they start following the laws?

Until then, they have no right to tell us diddly.

[Nye Bevan]

7. You certainly have the right to that opinion,

but that being said, I would highly recommend that you do not offer resistance if and when you are ever arrested. You can always sue for false arrest later.

[Live and Learn]

11. You seem to feel that submitting to arrest is some kind of guarantee

that you won't be injured or killed. It most certainly is not.

[Nye Bevan]

13. No.

But submitting meekly to an arrest is undoubtedly safer than fighting back. It's not like the police are going to be impressed by the ferocity of your resistance and drop all charges.

[Live and Learn]

16. I suppose that advice would also be wise with any terrorist organization,

kidnapper, carjacker, etc..

[Nye Bevan]

17. It's better to give up your car to a carjacker

than to resist and get murdered.

[Live and Learn]

18. I agree but I am certainly not obligated to. nt

[LiberalElite]

19. It's worth consideration I guess that resisting arrest

could "only" get you an additional charge, i.e., "Resisting Arrest." In some cases, it gets you an untimely death.

[Trillo]

4. Craig Peyer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Peyer

Cara Knott, RIP.

[JaneyVee]

5. Weird because he took Garner's side.

Stating that the med examiner was the gold standard and his autopsy of death by asphyxiation. Probably trying to get back on cops good side.

[LiberalElite]

21. I agree -

play nice with the policeman. Go quietly. Submit. Regardless of whether they're right or not. God what are we coming to?

[Nye Bevan]

6. Very smart advice not to resist arrest. For everyone.

I'm pretty sure no good ever came of resisting arrest.

[enough]

8. And if you do, understand you may be killed on the spot. (nt)

[Nye Bevan]

9. Well.... yes. That is one excellent reason not to resist arrest (nt)

[Squinch]

10. He is the father of a black son. If I had a black son I would be drilling that into his head.

Because, though it certainly doesn't guarantee that you are going to get out of the confrontation alive, it ups your chances. Which is a tragic state of affairs.

[rug]

12. He's wrong legally but that advice may save someone's life.

[mathematic]

15. Resisting arrest is a crime. Mayor's not going to endorse it.

Resisting arrest is pretty dumb no matter what* because even if whatever they're arresting you for doesn't hold up, the resisting arrest charge can still get you jail time.

I think you do have a right to resist unlawful arrest in ny (it varies by state) but cops don't have to do much to make an arrest lawful so you're making a very bad gamble if you resist.


*The exception is if you're resisting as a political statement and you're prepared to deal with the consequences.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. Don't be so obviously discriminatory in the way you detain people of color,

and maybe they won't have a reason to fear you and run.

[NightWatcher]

23. You're not going to win on the street. Comply with the cop then get a good lawyer

You are not going to win a yelling match with a cop. He's going to win and he's going to slam you to the ground if you fight him. Go along as peacefully and possible and get ready to sue the department.

[rustydog]

24. In a way I agree. As my kids were growing up, I told them:

If police stop you and ask to search the car. If you have done nothing wrong. If you've done something wrong for that matter, If you don't want them to. refuse to consent and ask that they supply a search warrant. If the officer refuses and removes you from the car. Don't resist, be vocal and protest the arrest and the impending search as unconstitutional, but allow the crime to occur. (You sue the city, the department and the officer afterwards)

If they want your ID give it to them, you'll get it back. You do not have to answer questions. That is your right. Simply state you are exercising your constitutional rights against speaking to him/her and you are exercising your constitutional rights refusing permission to search vehicle/belongings/ domicile without a warrant stating WHAT they are looking for and WHY they think you have it there. They have to have probable cause...If they don't they are fishing.

[boston bean]

25. I don't think this is terrible advice. But and a big but,

it doesn't erase nor does it allow police using excessive force.

It's like many of them jump to 10 when the situation was a 5.

And the militarization of the police is a real issue. They don't need army equipment to protect us. That is what we have the national guard for.

[bhikkhu]

26. I got pulled over once, sort of

I was being followed by a cop and pulled into an apartment complex (not mine), kind of spooked. I parked and wandered away from the car, but went back after a few minutes. When I opened the door three cruisers put me in the spotlights and, weapons drawn, ordered me to put my hands where they could see them, then lay face down on the ground, in the rain. Of course, I did. I was cuffed and put in a car.

My car had been stolen once but recovered, and that was never cleared in the computer system. It took me a few minutes to figure out that's what was going on, and I just told them the truth. A half hour of checking ID's and paperwork and phone calls, and they apologized and let me go on my way. I suppose I might have been put out, but they were doing their job, and they did fine.

[MADem]

27. There will come a day when people will be able to wear a small pin

or piece of jewelry that has a camera in it, audio, and it can record everything that happens to a person and beam it off site to a safe location in that cloud. Of course, this is available now, undercover types use this stuff, but it's not really cheap or convenient. Eventually, though, this kind of tech will be cheap and easy to use, and it will help protect rights. In the meantime, a cell phone w/camera--or a good citizen, standing not far away, with one-- is not a bad thing to have.