Know Your Rights: Resources

Now is a good time to refresh your memory on what you are legally required to do and what you cannot be compelled to do in interactions with the police.

Remember, police can legally ask you questions in a public place, but you are not legally required to answer them.

Your first line of defense is to ask: "Am I free to leave?"

If the answer is yes, you know what to do.

For additional resources, including printable wallet cards, see the ACLU DC and Free DC.

Remind your loved ones, particularly your kids and teens: Do not start or get involved with a physical altercation - a fight - with the cops or anyone else. As the ACLU DC reminds all of us: "You can’t fight police misconduct on the street: it’s safer to comply and challenge the officer’s actions later." Don't give them a pretext to detain you.

Free DC has also created a rapid-response page, DC Under Occupation, that includes the latest on actions we can all take to support each other and our community.

Also, in a significant change to long-standing DC policy, our local police are now cooperating with ICE at traffic stops. They can now ask about immigration status and/or share information about immigration status with ICE. Our friends at Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid have prepared a handy guide to the available legal, direct service, and mutual aid resources available for migrants in the DMV.

Finally, if you see a checkpoint, remember your SALUTE:

S - Size (How many officers, agents, vehicles are present?)

A - Activity (What are they doing?)

L - Location (Where? Be as precise as possible)

U - Units (What agencies are present? MPD? Park Police? ICE? National Guard? Are they masked? Do they refuse to identify themselves?)

T - Time (When did / is this happening?)

E - Equipment (What did the agents have with them? Weapons? Cuffs? Dogs? Door breakers?)

Gather as much information as you can, then call it in to the MSMA ICE Hotline: 202.335.1183. (You might want to save that number in your contacts.)