The police in Michigan are well trained, but sometimes they make mistakes and bad choices.
There are over 570 law enforcement agencies in the state of Michigan, including the Michigan State Police, and numerous city, county and township agencies. For most people, their only interaction with the police will be in common, day-to-day activities where police officers are working hard to keep the peace and maintain public safety. A speeding ticket, a neighborhood canvas, or a noise complaint are good examples of this. However, for those who encounter police in a very different capacity, through the criminal justice system, there are some things that you need to know.
Before we begin, we would like to remind our readers that the majority of police officers are good, hard working people who want nothing more than to keep their communities safe, and go home to their families after their shift ends. There are certainly some officers who abuse their authority and make poor choices when it comes to the treatment of our Michigan residents. However, in most cases, most police officers are polite and respectful and we would advise all of our readers to afford them the same courtesy. As has been said, āone bad apple donāt spoil the whole bunch.ā Ā
That aside, there are some important basic facts that you need to know about law enforcement officials in Michigan. These will help you ensure that your rights are protected at all times, and that you do not make unwise or uninformed choices in your future interactions with cops.
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The police are highly trained.
Many law enforcement agencies around Michigan provide their officers and deputies with extensive training in a wide array of subjects, including drug recognition, cyber crime and interrogation, investigation, evidence and basic criminal law. In fact, the Michigan State Police are considered to be one of the most highly trained state police agencies in the nation. That said, however, like all of us, they are not perfect.
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Even good cops make mistakes
Making a mistake isn’t the sign of a ‘bad’ officer, it’s the sign of a human being operating under pressure. However, because it is critical that police officers in Michigan follow procedure to the letter, if they botch the investigation or an arrest, it could result in a huge benefit to the criminal defendant. This is because anything an officer hears, sees, confiscates or finds that results from certain mistakes could be suppressed in court due to a Constitutional doctrine called ‘Fruit of the Poisonous Tree.’ It all stems from your Fourth Amendment Right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. Donāt get too excited. This doctrine applies in only limited circumstances. Do not assume that the police violated your rights or that they acted illegally. Leave that investigation to an experienced criminal defense attorney.
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The police are allowed to lie to you
This may seem unethical, as it is against the law to lie for you to a police officer if your fabrication in any way hinders an investigation. But, this is not a two-way street. During a criminal investigation in Michigan, it is perfectly legal for police officers to lie to a suspect if it assists them in their investigation. Usually a cop will lie in the hopes of getting a suspect to confess, or saying something incriminating. The most common use of police lies is to tell a suspect that someone else has implicated them in the crime, or “ratted them out.” There are lots of other lies that cops tell to suspects. You donāt have to believe them but you should certainly decline to have further conversation with them until your lawyer is present. Again, do so calmly and in a polite way.
Join us again next time to a continued look at the things you need to know about law enforcement in Michigan. Until then, if you or a loved one have been arrested and charged with a crime in Michigan, call us immediately at 866 766 5245. Our skilled criminal defense attorneys have spent decades defending and protecting the people of Michigan. We can help you too!