# Is running from the cops (for no reason) a crime? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594 "2003-07-15T05:57:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/1 "2003-07-15T05:57:09Z")
If one were to take off like a gazelle at the sight of a police officer, and they gave chase and caught you, what would you be charged with? Inducing panic, fleeing from the police? There’s no law against running spontaneously (sp?), what probable cause could the cops give either than " he started running as soon as he saw us"? This is not an ethical question, because I believe that would be goading the cops, but rather a question on what, and if, they would charge you with something. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/2 "2003-07-15T06:10:05Z")
Speeding, and then failure to yield? ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/3 "2003-07-15T06:15:40Z")
Hmmm, It looks like the term is Felony Evasion. Or did you mean ‘take off like a gazelle’ without speeding or driving recklessly? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/4 "2003-07-15T06:17:50Z")
Not driving, running. I guess I was unclear. Sprinting at the sight of the police, that should be clear enough. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/5 "2003-07-15T06:22:06Z")
Sorry, I did assume you meant driving. :o ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/6 "2003-07-15T06:25:29Z")
Why would they run after you? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/7 "2003-07-15T06:44:11Z")
You’re a cop, someone sees you , and they run like hell…you just sit there? That would be interseting, a cop with nothing to do other than “protect and serve” ignoring the only interesting thing he’s seen in 2 hours. He “knows” you’re up to something, or otherwise breaking the law, he just needs to find out why you ran. Is this that implausible? ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/8 "2003-07-15T06:58:00Z")
He could arrest you and take you in. I can guarantee he’s not going to catch you and then, when you go, “Ha ha! I wasn’t really doing anything” go “Oh, I’m sorry about that.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/9 "2003-07-15T07:04:06Z")
Check out what the [Supreme Court](http://www.forensic-evidence.com/site/Police/Pol_Running.html) says they can do. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/10 "2003-07-15T07:06:19Z")
Sorry I missed this > [@](#): > > In a 5-4 decision decided in January, the United States Supreme Court effectively dished up more power onto the plates of law enforcement officers, giving them the authority to detain a person who flees at the mere sight of a policeman. Unprovoked flight upon the sight of police, said the Court, is the consummate act of evasion. Although it is not necessarily indicative of wrongdoing, it clearly is suggestive of such. Thus, in determining reasonable suspicion, the police can make commonsense judgments and inferences about human behavior. Although the concept of “reasonable suspicion” still remains somewhat intact – that is, the Court did not endorse a “bright-line” rule – the scales of justice are now clearly tipped in favor of the State. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/11 "2003-07-15T07:55:44Z")
Sounds like the scene where Mr Bean visits the USA. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/12 "2003-07-15T08:09:43Z")
The OP asks “what can you be charged with?” and the answer is “nothing”. That does not mean the cops cannot detain you and question you if they are suspicious but you cannot be charged with any crime for merely running from the cops. ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/13 "2003-07-15T08:13:59Z")
so i gather it is not crime but if your in a bad area they can search you. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/14 "2003-07-15T09:35:07Z")
I still think “don’t fuck with the cops” is a good general rule. I consider myself a law abiding citizen, and I don’r have any problem with the majority of police (I think they do a difficult job), but, as an example, if I hear that there is a radar trap or a random breath testing unit on my route home, I’ll will drive a different way despite my driving slowly and being sober. Find a cop in a bad mood, and he’ll be able to find _something_ to give you grief about. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/15 "2003-07-15T10:01:52Z")
I make sure that I give the police conducting a random check (warrant of fitness, registration, alcohol) a smile and a thank you - they have a difficult job to do and I am safer on the road because of their efforts. Any delay they introduce into my journey is minimal compared to the delay a drunk/speeding/unsafe driver could introduce into my life if they decided to drive through my car when I wasn’t looking. Simon ---
**Author:** ![Tarantula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@Tarantula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarantula)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/16 "2003-07-15T10:16:50Z")
\*\* si\_blakely \*\* - I think you’re bang right with that comment. On a more childish note, I’ve always wanted to put an ordinary bag of clothes (or whatever) on one of those x-ray conveyor-belt jobbies in the airport and then just leg it. As fast as possible. Just to see ehow long it would take for them to shoot me… probably 5 - 10 seconds… ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/17 "2003-07-15T10:44:51Z")
Once upon a time I was pulled over by the cops. In my car I had 16 large knives (one of which was discussed by the officers), a tarp, a shovel, an axe, a broadsword, strange books, a bullwhip, a set of lock picks, and a box of donuts. They asked my permission to search the car, asked if I worked in a kitchen (15 of the 16 large knives), missed the lockpicks, politely didn’t ask about the bullwhip, and didn’t eat any of the donuts. They also placed me in the backseat of the cruiser with my pocket knife, a Swiss Army knife I use as a keychain (a house key, a handcuff key, and a pliers/screwdrivers/wire stripper multitool type thing). They could have had a heck of a time getting me out of the back seat. Apparently there’s a local bad guy who looks like me and drives the same kind of car. I was polite and cooperative. They were polite and matter of fact. Somehow, I suspect that if I hadn’t pulled over like a good boy they’d have found something that would have ruined my day. I would have found something that would have ruined my day. Three months later, or your local equivalent, when you show up in the cold light of day in a courtroom, you might not have a problem. You may not have pleasant memories of the 24 or 36 or 72 or however many your locale offers hours spent in police custody prior to their having to charge or release you. Your focus is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/18 "2003-07-15T10:54:34Z")
“I would rather let a thousand guilty men go free than chase after them”. – Chief Clancy Wiggum ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_of_the_Shapes)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/19 "2003-07-15T11:07:20Z")
Can’t they do you for wasting police time? Or is there no such offense? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594/20 "2003-07-15T11:37:49Z")
I am trying to think of a scenario under which running away from the police for no reason at all is a good idea. There is no Constitutional right to act suspicious, and the police tend to treat people who act suspiciously as suspects. What would you intend to accomplish? Wasting the police’s time? Wasting your own time being frisked and questioned? I don’t see the point. Regards, Shodan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-running-from-the-cops-for-no-reason-a-crime/188594.md?page=2)