HOW TO AVOID BEING SHOT BY THE POLICE

HOW TO AVOID BEING SHOT BY THE POLICE

Given the scary climate in Arizona, we thought this might be useful advice

When police stop people, they assume the people are armed and dangerous. They fear that if they let the subject get the drop on them, they will be shot. Thus, they approach the subject ready to fast draw and shoot.

This situation is exacerbated in jurisdictions which allow the carrying of concealed weapons without a permit or training, such as Arizona

Citizens of lower income neighborhoods generally are more experienced with dealing with hair trigger police, since they are more likely to be stopped repeatedly. This is not, however called "profiling" by the police, who explain "if 90% of the people in the neighborhood are Black or Hispanic, then 90% of the people we confront are likely to be Black or Hispanic." This does not, however explain the high probability that a Black or Hispanic person will also be accosted in a 99% while neighborhood. "In that event, the person doesn't fit," said one cop.

Then there is the new Arizona immigration law that allows the police to question a person's legal status to be in the country if they have a suspicion the person might be here ilegally. Want to guess how many Hispanics versus Anglos will be stopped on this point?

But, in the event you are stopped by the police, and are unfamiliar with the rules of police encounters, The Frumious Bandersnatch has the following advice (learned years ago when we used to be followed around by the FBI):

(1) When a cop says "Get Out Of Your Car!" He means NOW! Do not ask "why?" Just comply immediately. Failure to immediately submit to Authority raises the suspicion that you are holding a machine gun in your lap.

The new Arizona concealed weapons carry law requires you to disclose to the police you have a concealed weapon in your car. The police officer is allowed to take possession of your weapon. Do you think the officer will stand by your car and ask you to hand out the weapon through the car window? Not likely. More people are likely to be ordered out of their vehicles and hands in the air.

(2) Never, ever move suddenly in the presence of a police officer. They will think you are reaching for a gun.

(3) If stopped in a vehicle, keep your hands in plain sight. Don't reach under your seat or into the glove compartment, because these are known places guns are hidden.

(4) When standing up, never reach into your pockets for anything. Even your wallet. In one infamous occasion, the police stopped an undercover agent, who tried to reach inside his coat to get his badge. He's dead, of course.

(5) If the cops say "Hands Up!" reach for the sky. If they say "Down on the Ground" dig in fast. The slightest hesitation will likely result in them knocking you to the ground.

(6) Don't say very much. A simple "yes sir" and "no sir" will do. Cops don't like smart asses. The more you mouth off, the more trouble you'll be in. A lot of times a simple stop will escalate into a serious problem for you due to your mouthing off.

(7) If you suspect your civil rights are being violated, don't try your case on the street. Cops are not judges. Your primary goal is to survive the encounter so you can hire a lawyer and let him do the arguing...later...in court.

Remember, the rule of the street is that if a cop feels his life is in danger, he can shoot and get away with it. In that event there will be only one witness left to testify as to what happened.

The Squirrelly Advisor is a parody of How To advice columns.

The premise of The Squirrelly Advisor is to address topics of concern from a decidedly off-beat perspective.

When confronted with choices in our lives, we hear the voices of our angels and demons advising us, and sometimes we also hear the voice of the squirrel.

Rarely do we actually act upon the advice of our inner squirrel, but sometimes being able to laugh about our problems opens new doors of awareness.

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