An individual’s choices of action before and after an arrest is made are crucial to the determination of following events. There are many important things to remember in the event that one is put under arrest:

First and foremost, it is extremely important to remain calm, and cooperative with law enforcement. It is also important to remain silent, as any statements can be used against the accused in court. It is also important to try to remember any badge or car numbers of police officers involved in the situation.

In the event that an arrest is inevitable, it is then essential to be sure that the proper representation is present in the individual’s defense. This includes contacting or obtaining an attorney and remaining silent until they arrive, making sure they are present for any questioning or testing, and allowing them to deal with police and prosecutors on one’s behalf. In this situation, it is also important to try to obtain witnesses and their contact information. In the event that the individual is injured, it is important to take immediate photographs, and obtain medical attention.

There are also many actions that can negatively affect the outcome of an individual’s case. In order to ensure the protection of one’s rights, there are a number of actions that the accused should remember to avoid:

A negative impression with the police is important to avoid. For example, the accused should not discuss the incident with police, they should not mouth off to the police or upset them in any way, and most importantly, the individual should not attempt running from the police, as it is most likely they will be caught, and have a negative outcome on their appearance in court. It is also important to not give the police permission to search anything, or enter a home without a warrant.

Other important things for the accused to remember include not saying anything about the situation to anyone accept a lawyer, and do not resist arrest, as this can lead to additional charges being mad against the individual.