What To Do If You Are Wanted By The Police

Incorrect Information In Arrest Warrants

Sometimes, arrest warrants contain factual mistakes. For example, the suspect’s name may be misspelled or the wrong crime may be specified. Ideally, the police should show the warrant to the suspect. And, if the suspect is able to prove that the officer has the wrong person, then the officer should not proceed. As a practical matter, however, the police sometimes don’t show the warrant to the suspect for a variety of reasons real or imagined, and any mistakes as to identity are sorted out later. As for clerical errors, these aren’t enough to invalidate the warrant.

What If Officers Enter Without My Permission

• In general, officers must knock and announce themselves and their purpose before forcing entry into your residence, even when they have a warrant.

• Do not resist or argue with the officers, even if you believe what they are doing is illegal. Officers may handcuff you when they come in, and you should comply with their orders for safety.

• If officers are serving a search warrant, you should be given a copy of the warrant as well as a receipt for any property the officers seized.

• If you are arrested because of an arrest warrant, officers may wait to show you the warrant until you are booked into jail.

• If officers do not have a warrant, request a business card with the officer’s name, badge number, and the incident number.

Do I Have To Consent To Letting The Officers Search My Home

• Unless officers have a search warrant or there is an emergency, you can say no to a search, tell the officers what room they can and can’t search, and take away your consent at any time.

• If the officers are looking for evidence of a crime, the officers are required to advise you of these rights, which are called Ferrier warnings.

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Who Are The Subjects Of Red Notices

Red Notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence. This follows judicial proceedings in the country issuing the request. This is not always the home country of the individual, but the country where the crime was committed.

When a person is sought for prosecution, they have not been convicted and should be considered innocent until proven guilty. A person sought to serve a sentence means they have been found guilty by a court in the issuing country.

Can Police Use Force To Make An Arrest

Police officers are generally allowed to use “reasonable force” to arrest a suspect. The question of whether the amount of force used in a particular case was reasonable or excessive is intensely fact-specific.

Courts generally balance the need for force and the amount of force used during an arrest. Factors include:

• the severity of the crime
• whether the suspect posed a threat, and
• whether the suspect was resisting or attempting to flee. .)

Police officers are allowed to use deadly force on a fleeing or actively resisting suspect, if the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a dangerous threat to the officer or others. Officers must warn the suspect that they are about to use deadly force, if possible. .)

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What The Law Says

Police officers must have a reason for arresting you. The law states that a police officer can only arrest you under the following circumstances:

1. An officer sees you committing a crime.

2. An officer has a probable cause to believe you have committed a crime or are about to commit a crime .

3. If you break any provincial or city bylaws.

4. If you refuse to tell an officer your name or your address.

5. If a police officer believes that you have a mental disorder and are a danger to society.

6. If you breach the peace.

7. If you are drunk or high in public.

8. If the officer believes that you are a terrorist or about to commit terror.

If An Individual Is Being Sought By Local Police For Committing A Crime What Assistance Can The Fbi Render To Locate The Fugitive

A stop will be placed against the fugitives fingerprints in the FBIs Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Local police will be notified immediately upon the receipt of any additional fingerprints of the fugitive. The fugitives name and identifying data also will be entered into the National Crime Information Center, a computerized database that is accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Any agency that inquires about this individual will be informed of his or her fugitive status. In addition, the FBI may obtain a federal arrest warrant and attempt to locate an individual who flees prosecution or confinement if there is reason to believe the person has traveled across a state line or left the country.

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You Gave A Statement To Police And Now Your Loved One Is Charged You Have Conditions Not To Associate This Is Not What You Wanted You Would Like To Revise Your Statement Heres How We Can Help

The most effective way to undo the original statement is to swear an affidavit with new details and an explanation for why the original statement was made and not accurate.

But be forewarned: if you swear an affidavit saying that you lied originally, you could be charged with obstruction of justice, public mischief or both. It is a criminal offense to mislead the police and waste public resources. The Crown dealing with an obstruction or public mischief charge may try to have you saddled with a criminal record, even if you do not already have one. It is, however, unlikely this would happen, unless you are in the habit of giving false statements.

Armoured Suits lawyers can work with you to discuss what your options are and how best to proceed if you want to help your loved one.

You can obtain a free, 30-minute phone consultation just by filling out the following form or calling us at

One: Your Rights Against Self

In Canada, everyone has a right to silence, and a right to retain and instruct counsel without delay. Few know this fewer understand it and fewer still will exercise these rights when pressed by police.

Since people in Canada have the right to silence, there is never a requirement that suspects provide a statement, despite the pressure they may feel to do so.

Similarly, there is never a requirement that a suspect must come to the police station when asked.

Failing to attend the police station may result in police attending the location of a suspect and arresting them, but that is not the same as being required to come to the police station on their own free will. Being asked to attend the police station is a matter of convenience to the police, and often the suspect, but never a requirement.

Even though lawyers will often always advise clients to turn themselves in, it is only after they have obtained proper legal advice and made the appropriate arrangements to protect their clients interests. There may also be instances where police do not have reasonable grounds to lay a charge and the lawyer may advise the client to respectfully refuse their request to participate that might place them at risk of self-incrimination.

Lesson 1: You have a right to silence, you have a right to a legal advice: use both.

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Do I Need To Open My Door If Police Knock

Not always. If police have a warrant, or there are compelling conditions known as exigent circumstances , you do. But if police are at your door for most other purposes, then police are like anyone who knocks at your door, and youre not legally required to open up, says Jules Epstein, a professor of law and director of advocacy programs at the Temple University Beasley School of Law. That approach, Rudovsky adds, also likely applies to any government official, such as immigration officers or the FBI.

Ask why they are there. Unless you called the police, or you think theres some good reason why the police are there to help you and you can certainly inquire you dont have to open your door, Rudovsky says. You can say, What are you looking for? What do you want? and I dont need your help. Please go away.

If you do open the door, it may come with some risks, Rudovsky says. For police can seize illegal items and charge you for having them if they are in plain view, such as illegal drugs on a table that can be seen from the door, or if the officers are legally in your space.

Can You Really Prevent A Criminal Charge

Not in every case, but absolutely, it often works out that way. If the police simply dont get enough evidence, then they cant charge anyone. The case may simply never happen.

And if you do still get charged, it was almost certainly going to happen anyway and was not avoidable. So we move on to other defenses and ways to beat the case.

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Complying With Emergency Orders

Under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act , there are consequences for businesses and individuals who choose to defy the Act while emergency orders are in force. The OPP encourages everyone to voluntarily comply with all of these short-term restrictions.

If you wish to file a report regarding non-compliance under the Quarantine Act, call 1 888 310-1122 or your local OPP detachment.

Making A Police Statement

When you report a crime to police, you will be asked to provide a statement. A statement given by a witness, including a victim, is referred to as a witness statement.

Even if you have not reported a crime, you may be contacted by the police if they believe you may have information about a crime.

It can be difficult to make a statement to the police, especially if you are providing information about a crime that may have been committed by a family member, loved one or friend.

If you are the victim of a crime, or a witness who needs support or help in making a statement to the police, you can call a victim service worker by calling VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808.

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Am I Allowed To Lie To The Police

No. While you have the right to remain silent, you do not have the right to lie to the police. Lying to a police officer who is investigating an offence may constitute obstructing a peace officer or obstruction of justice. These are serious criminal offences in themselves. If you are charged with an offence, lying to police will also hurt your ability to defend yourself in court.

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Tony Imossi, a private investigator with more than 30 years’ experience, said staying “below the radar” required support. To avoid detection Shepherd would have had to ditch his phone, bank accounts and all known online accounts, as well as staying away from government agencies, like the NHS.

He would also have had to avoid contacting his loved ones.

“It’s very difficult for someone to drop out of their circle and live completely hidden,” said Mr Imossi. “You need someone to have a bank account in your name, to have a car insurance in your name, all this is expensive. It requires a lot of support.”

If he flew out of Britain before border staff were alerted, Shepherd could have left Europe along an established route without leaving a trace, the investigator said.

“He could have caught a flight to Gibraltar… From there he can cross the border into Spain and could then get to Morocco and be in Africa without leaving any footprint.”

Mr Imossi said the focus would be on building a profile of Shepherd and his acquaintances, before carrying out “intensive surveillance” and door-to-door inquiries.

“He will emerge eventually. He would not be living a life of luxury, drinking cocktails on a sandy beach. At some point he will run out of finances and help and will live an uncomfortable life. Even Ronnie Biggs had to come home eventually.”

The stress of evading police would eventually take its toll, Mr Bleksley added.

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What If I Am Asked To Meet With Officers For A Counter

You have the right to say that you do not want to be interviewed, to have an attorney present, to set the time and place for the interview, to find out the questions they will ask beforehand, and to answer only the questions you feel comfortable answering. If you are taken into custody for any reason, you have the right to remain silent. No matter what, assume that nothing you say is off the record. And remember that it is a criminal offense to knowingly lie to an officer.

The Police Want To Speak With Me And Get My Side Of The Story I Think They Are Investigating Me For A Criminal Offence What Should I Know

If the police think a person may have committed an offence, it is not unusual for them to contact the person and ask them to give a statement about the incident. They may call and say they want to set up a meeting to discuss an incident. Or they may say that they want to give you a chance to tell your side of the story so they can decide how they are going to handle things. They may say this is your opportunity to tell us what happened or warn you that if you do not speak with me, I will have to assume everything told me is true, and thats how I will write my report.

What the police the police will not tell you, however, is: We want you to speak with us because we hope that you will tell us something that can be used against you. It is important to remember that by the time the police have contacted you and asked to meet with them, the police may have already decided to arrest you and lay a charge against you. While there is a chance you could tell the police something that causes them to decide not to charge you, it is also possible that you will say something that hurts your ability to defend yourself. There may be another side to the story, but if the police are told two different versions of what happened, they will often decide to lay a criminal charge and let the matter get sorted out in court.

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Will The Police Really Give Up The Investigation That Easily

Sometimes, yes. In cases of fairly minor crimes like hit and run, where no one was injured, and the damage was covered by insurance, many officers and police departments just wont make much effort in these investigations.

This is not always the case, and some departments can be aggressive and relentless, and take any investigation very seriously. So, it really depends.

If You Cant Get A Police Certificate From Your Country Or Territory

If youre unable to get a police certificate from a country, youre responsible to show why you cant get one.

To prove that you cant get a police certificate, you must:

• show proof that you requested a police certificate from the correct authorities and
• write a letter explaining all the efforts you have taken to get one

Even if you send us the above items, this is not a guarantee of acceptance.

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Do I Have To Answer Questions Asked By Law Enforcement Officers

No. You have the constitutional right to remain silent. In general, you do not have to talk to law enforcement officers , even if you do not feel free to walk away from the officer, you are arrested, or you are in jail. You cannot be punished for refusing to answer a question. It is a good idea to talk to a lawyer before agreeing to answer questions. In general, only a judge can order you to answer questions.

What Should I Do If The Police Call Me And Want To Talk

July 21, 2014

Most people look to hire a lawyer after they have been arrested and charged with a crime.

But if you are being investigated for a crime, having a lawyer can sometimes prevent you from ever being charged with a crime at all.

This can happen in situations where police are conducting an investigation into a possible crime. I regularly get calls from people when the police are investigating charges like hit and run, OUI, theft, or other charges.

The police will often call you or stop by your home if they get a call from a witness who wrote down a license plate, they claim was involved in a crime, and you are the owner of the vehicle suspected of being involved.

It can also happen if you are known to the police, perhaps from a prior offense or complaint report, and they are investigating similar or related crimes. Ive had this happen with clients involved in some sex offense cases.

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