How to Flex Your Rights During Police Encounters

In our last alert I mentioned that Columbia, MO police Chief Ken Burton has been using 10 Rules for Dealing with Police to educate the public about constitutional rights.

Now you can listen to Chief Burton describe in his own words how Flex Your Rights' educational message aligns with his policing philosophy.

I also recently participated in an NPR affiliate interview with Chief Burton and policing expert David A. Harris. It's an in-depth look at problems in modern policing -- including some great discussion of SWAT raids, police accountability, racial profiling, and the importance of know-your-rights education.

Watch the streaming video of the interview here.

We've come a long way since our first video was released on VHS tape. What began as an effort to educate activists is now influencing entire police departments to be mindful of citizens' constitutional rights.

Last week I presented 10 Rules for Dealing with Police at the NAACP National Conference. The panel hosted by NAACP's Criminal Justice Program was focused on youth and the criminal justice system.

The 200-member audience was mostly high school and college-aged, and I couldn’t have hoped for a better reception. The video got an enthusiastic round of applause. More importantly, everyone stayed for the Q&A, which went beyond the allotted hour.

Before the screening, I asked if anyone had received any kind of know-your-rights training. Only a handful raised their hands. But afterward, their new knowledge inspired sophisticated questions covering Miranda rights, PATRIOT Act, videotaping police and more.

Needless to say, I’m proud to see 10 Rules resonating with NAACP and communities of color in the way we hoped it would. We’ve long anticipated that our success would depend on the ability to meet the needs of diverse audiences. We’re excited to see the film earning praise from the NAACP, libertarians and police departments alike.

You and I are well-trained to refuse certain police requests. But when I was approached by Columbia, MO Police Chief Ken Burton the other month, I was happy to consent.

The Chief called to ask my permission to use 10 Rules for Dealing with Police as part of a department-backed public education campaign to inform the public of their rights. Enthusiastically, I said yes.

Within weeks, a new report was released showing that in 2009 black motorists in Columbia were 127% more likely to be stopped than white motorists. At a public forum hosted by NAACP and other groups concerned about racial profiling, Chief Burton put 10 Rules to work.

The Columbia Daily Tribune editorialized in favor of the event, specifically citing 10 Rules.

State NAACP President Mary Ratliff called the video "a powerful teaching tool for both sides" and urged its wide distribution.

This is quite a coming-together. Ratliff has been critical of police in their confrontations with black people, and police have defended themselves in standoffs typically without a mutually agreeable resolution. The video gives both sides a way to communicate outside the context of a traumatic incident and might help subjects avoid trouble with the police.

The police department deserves credit for taking action to bridge the understanding gap, and Ratliff deserves similar credit for responding positively. This is a big deal, and I commend both parties.

Let’s follow Chief Burton and Mary Ratliff's lead! If you or someone you know has a friendly relationship with your local police chief, why not give them a 10 Rules DVD a copy of the Daily Tribune editorial?

Let’s create hundreds of police-led screenings across the country!

Just got word of this ruling today. We now need to work harder than ever to inform all Americans about why they must be prepared to invoke their right to remain silent. More analysis to come...

Defenders of the strict new immigration law claim that the law's reasonable suspicion requirement will prevent abuses. This argument gives Cato Institute scholar and Flex Board of Advisors member Tim Lynch his own reasons to be suspicious.

The police are going to ask questions and request to see papers in a variety of circumstances — whether they have reasonable suspicion or not. From a legal, constitutional, and practical perspective, the key issue is this: What are the consequences, if any, for the person who stands his ground and declines to answer questions or declines to produce identification papers? If a person declines, will the police back off and say, “Well, that is your right, sir, you may go” or will the police escalate the situation by ordering the person to answer questions, ordering the production of identification, detaining the person, or threaten the person with arrest on bogus charges?

Lynch digs deeper into the practical dilemma faced by laypeople attempting to Flex their rights.

There's no sugar-coating this, but the 10 Rules for Dealing with Police DVD won't be ready for the previously-announced February 12th release date. I know this is the second release date I've blown, and I apologize. Again. 

Regardless, I will keep my commitment to get the new DVD into your hands ASAP. While I'm hesitant to announce another specific release date -- I expect to ship 10 Rules DVDs by late February or early March.

In the meantime, I offer a full order refund and cancellation to anyone who requests it. And for those of you who've already announced a 10 Rules screening event for February or early March, please email me your announcement. I can burn a pre-release DVD and ship it to you in time for your event at no additional cost to you.

For those of you planning to attend the 10 Rules DC screening premiere at the Cato Institute -- or watch the live webcast -- the event has been cancelled due to The Mid-Atlantic Snowpocalypse. The event will be rescheduled, and I'll keep you posted.

Again, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience I've caused you.

The DVD release date for 10 Rules for Dealing with Police has been pushed from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12 late February/early March. This delay is my fault, and I apologize for any inconvenience this might cause you.

The new DVD is coming together just fine. I simply miscalculated how long it would take to complete the multiple elements that go into producing a professional-quality DVD.

There's little more to say other than I'm busting my butt to make this important DVD available ASAP. In the meantime, if you haven't done so yet, pre-order your 10 Rules DVD today for only $15.00. (Check out the sexy 2-minute video preview here.)

Frishling, tell him to get a warrant. Crap. Too late.

There's lots of web chatter about the two travel bloggers who got home visits from Transportation Security Administration agents. Following last week's attempted underwear bombing, the bloggers had posted a leaked TSA memo with instructions to airlines. The most familiar and ridiculed requirement blocks passengers' access to bathrooms, blankets, video entertainment, and carry-on bags during the last hour of flight.

So in an attempt to plug their own administrative leak, the new law enforcement agency did what law enforcement agencies do: they sent agents to investigate. While it's terrifying to imagine TSA agents harassing us at our homes beyond the confines of airport security, this should surprise no one.

Also not surprising is the fact that one of the two bloggers failed to flex his rights in the face of police intimidation and trickery.

According to the AP:

Steve Frischling, said he met with two TSA special agents Tuesday night at his Connecticut home for about three hours and again on Wednesday morning when he was forced to hand over his laptop computer.

As promised, 10 Rules for Dealing with Police is nearly complete! I think you'll agree that it's the most sophisticated and entertaining film of its kind, and I can't wait to get DVDs into your hands. Pre-orders will begin shipping in time for the Jan. 25 Feb. 12 late Feb./early Mar. 2010 release date.

In the meantime, enjoy the 10 Rules trailer. And check out our special holiday offers below -- including discounts on both 10 Rules DVD pre-orders and our classic offering, BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters.

Three Special DVD Discount Offers:

1) 10 Rules DVD Pre-Order for $15 (save $5.00)
   

2) Order 5 BUSTED DVDs in time for Christmas for $50 (save $25.00)
   

3) 10 Rules DVD Pre-Order + 5 BUSTED DVDs in time for Christmas for $60 (save $35.00) 
   

(Please Note: 10 Rules DVD pre-orders will ship by late Feb./early Mar., 2010. BUSTED DVD orders will ship within 48 hours of your order.)

Gotta love the ACLU for fighting for the First Amendment rights of a jackass motorist who gets arrested cited for flipping a cop the bird.

So says Sara Rose of the ACLU...

"The law is clear that using one's middle finger to express discontent or frustration is expressive conduct that is protected by the First Amendment."

Finger Flinger David Hackbart will likely get a $50,000 payment from the city of Pittsburgh. But after lawyers fees, he'll probably net about $10,000.

I wonder what Peter Griffin thinks about this?