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| Q. Do the police have the right to stop me on the street? |
| A. The police have the right to stop you if they have a good reason to think you were involved in criminal activity. The stop may only last as long as it takes the police to be sure that you were or were not involved in a crime. |
| Q. If the police stop me, do I have to answer their questions? |
| A. You do not have to answer questions from the police. You should, however, provide your name when asked to identify yourself because if you refuse to give your name, you may be charged with a criminal violation under state law. Only in exceptional circumstances may you refuse to give your name, such as when revealing your identity will incriminate you. |
| Q. Do the police have a right to search me? |
| A. Generally, the police cannot search you without your consent. However, a police officer, when stopping and questioning you, may conduct a "pat-down" search of your outer clothing if he or she thinks you have a hidden weapon or that you were involved in a crime. This "pat-down" search does not include a search of your bags, inner clothing such as your pockets, or other possessions. Other than a "pat down" search, the police cannot search you or your bags and possessions without your consent unless they have a suspicion that you personally are involved in wrongdoing. |
| Q. If I am arrested by the police, can they search my belongings? |
| A. If the police arrest you, they have a right to search you and your possessions. |
| Q. If I am arrested, do I have to answer police questions? |
| A. If you are under arrest or being questioned at the police station, you still have the right to refuse to answer questions from the police and the right to remain silent. You have the right to stop answering questions at any time. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during police questioning and interrogation. You must ask for a lawyer if you wish to have a lawyer present during questioning by the police. If you cannot afford a lawyer, let the police know that you want to have a lawyer, and the police will provide you with one. |
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