-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
This video of Collinsville, Illinois K9 officer Michael Reichert violating the civil rights of two guys returning from a Star Trek convention.
The laws of physics must have been suspended when Reichert, standing at the rear of the car, says the wind is blowing this way so any odor in the car would be blown to the front.
It turns out that Reichert has a conviction for selling counterfeit Oakley sunglasses, and in a federal drug case the judge dismissed Reichert’s testimony.
This seems like a good time to remember Scott Morgan‘s five reasons you should never agree to a search:
1. It’s your constitutional right.
You have the right to refuse random police searches anywhere and anytime, so long as you aren’t crossing a border checkpoint or entering a secure facility like an airport.
2. Refusing a search protects you if you end up in court.
Basically, if there’s any chance of evidence being found, agreeing to a search is like committing legal suicide, because it kills your case before you even get to court.
3. Saying “no” can prevent a search altogether.
If you remain calm and say no, there’s a good chance they’ll back down, because it’s a waste of time to do searches that won’t hold up in court anyway.
4. Searches can waste your time and damage your property.
You certainly can’t count on officers to be careful with valuables or to put everything back where they found it.
5. You never know what they’ll find.
A joint roach could stick to your shoe on the street and wind up on the floorboard. A careless acquaintance could have dropped a baggie behind the seat.
There a lot of good information in the following video by law professor (and former defense attorney) James Duane on why he will never talk to the police:
H/T: Radley Balko, Orin Kerr, ACLU, Flex Your Rights.
Or is it so, ask a straight question and you’ll get a comic answer?
Gooooood ol’ AY,
He could not give a straight answer, even if……
He’s always good for a laugh, even if it is at his own cost.
Law enforcement officers want to satisfy their bosses which goes for up the whole chain, even the Prez. They get raises, promitions, rewards simply and up the chain too. Measurements of performance are many, but arrests are one of them.
So this officer is just doing his best to do his job; that he uses these techniques including false narc dog hits just shows he is an exemplary officer (I won’t say what he’s an example of——many answers, none good)
NB Irony, sarcasm, etc.
He’s one example only, which does not prove shit—-as someone here has said. But we seem convinced it is the whole police corps, etc. How right we are.
However, how many of us are conrrupted by our own self-interests?
If we examine ourselves carefully. Huh?
Remember what the professor said about meeting anyone? Keep it in mind. In the meanwhile, say no in a confident tone, and pray.
I think the cops have gotten better over the years since I can remember when a cop like this fool woiuld PLANT evidence. Almost all the cops used to carry thrown down guns to use if they shot somebody. Thankfully those days are mostly over since those kinds of cops have gone to prison in many cases.
I was wondering if there is any way to have this cop fired. He needs to be gone ASAP and how the hell did he ever keep his badge after a perjury conviction?
I am glad that asshole Reichert, posing as an officer of the law, is being outed.
“DWB” driving while blonde……lol
DWB??
Arthur—Bullshit, the girl grabbed the cop’s shoulder and and hand, then he slapped her.
ARE,
Do you condone set up attacks by cops? If so, may you fare better….
That cop who hit the girl had been hit a couple of times by HER! Too bad the cop didn’t get to tag her better than he did.
Not to this extreme,not yet anyway. But when “DWB” you would truley be surprised at what one has to endure some time.
Well said, Mike S.
I haven’t listened to the second video, yet, but consenting to a search gives the cops the opportunity to plant evidence, as well…. not that any good cop, emphasis on “good”, would ever plant evidence.
I’ve had a bellyful of bullies bearing badges. Thanks for this great posting.
David,
Thank you for this. I listened to the Reichart stop video with growing disquiet in my stomach. Particularly interesting is how the “Officer” seems so reasonable in his approach. So soothing as he lulls the men into complacency and the desire to cooperate with him to end their ordeal. There is a sadistic undertone to it all. A cat playing innocently with a mouse until the death blow is administered. So many people are taken in by this tactic because we have been brought up to believe that the police officer is our friend and protector. Perhaps in some halcyon days of yore this was true, but I doubt it. In any event, today with the incursions on constitutional liberty begun with the phony “war on drugs” and ineffectually invasive TSA inspections, the admonition to say as little as necessary to police are well taken. However, the problem with that is also a double-edged sword, since the police will take one’s assertion of a right to silence, as an indication of guilt. The truth is today your are guilty until proven innocent and even proven innocence is no protection from persecution and prosecution.
Great article David. That was an amazing video. Remind me to stay out of Collinsville!
Unfortunately just another indication of authoritarian police state tactics, as well as further evidence of the utter failure of prohibition and our misguided “war on drugs.” The only cost to this fellow was a few minutes of his time and perhaps his sense of security. The real cost of the police state, in both dollars and lives, is far beyond accounting.
Elmer Fudd’s words of wisdom: “Be very quiet!” Not many folks have their way out of an arrest, but a lot of folks have tslked their way into one.
What a lying piece of shit. I’m surprised he can get a job as an officer with a criminal record AND a case being thrown out for bad testimony.
This is information to live by….. You give up your rights once you open your mouth…..
Geeze a cops testimony results in drug charges being thrown out…. Mostly unheard of…..