# Who could protect you from cops? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067 "2012-10-17T21:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/1 "2012-10-17T21:05:09Z")
I saw a comedian joke about who he’d turn to for protection if the police (at a police party) got a little too crazy, which started me wondering: Who **could** you turn to for protection from a rogue cop? What if the entire local jurisdiction is causing a problem (say because of some alien mind control that’s targeted only at the police)? Obviously, the long term solution is going to involve an unrelated judge (hopefully the aliens haven’t gone after the justice system yet), but what about the immediate, my-life-is-in-danger situation? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/2 "2012-10-17T21:08:27Z")
Doesn’t the FBI deal with police corruption in some cases? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/3 "2012-10-17T21:13:22Z")
Almost all areas in the U.S. are part of multiple police jurisdictions: local, county, and state at least. Some locales don’t have local police but most have a county Sheriff/Deputies and all have states have state police. They aren’t set up in a strict hierarchy and each of those has full police powers so you could call another department directly for help if you had true problems with one of them. ---
**Author:** ![sniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@sniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniz)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/4 "2012-10-17T22:23:09Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Who **could** you turn to for protection from a rogue cop? > … > But what about the immediate, my-life-is-in-danger situation? In any “immediate, my life is in danger situation” you’re going to have to be able to stop the threat yourself. Immediately. A weapon and some training is probably the average person’s best chance. Or you’ll have to be really clever and outsmart the bad guy – maybe trick him into falling out of a really tall tree. This isn’t really any different than any other scenario that doesn’t involve alien-controlled cops. For “non-immediate, my life is possibly going to be in danger in the future” situations, the above answers may be better. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/5 "2012-10-17T22:25:37Z")
Depending on the situation the press might be a option ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/6 "2012-10-17T22:30:02Z")
In the spur of the moment, a video camera could protect you after the fact. After cops brutalize someone it isn’t uncommon, from what I know, for them to fabricate resisting arrest and assault on an officer charges to explain the bruises. And since a cop’s word is more valued in the legal system than a criminal suspects you probably don’t have many recourses. Unless the incident is video taped. But that won’t actually protect you from the abuse itself, it’ll just make it easier to hold the cop accountable. So I honestly have no idea. If you are thinking long term it is a mix of transparency via recording devices, the FBI, internal affairs, lawyers and all have their role in bringing brutal cops down. In the short term, probably nothing except your own self defense skills (which will just add to the false charges of resistant arrest and assault on an officer). Except hoping a good cop steps in to stop the bad cops which sometimes happens, sometimes doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![vectorsdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5fc32e/32.png) [@vectorsdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vectorsdog)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/7 "2012-10-18T23:16:29Z")
It is under the FBI’s jurisdiction…as in the “Mississippi Burning” incident. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/8 "2012-10-19T00:21:04Z")
You could try: - Another police department in your area - Any sort of state entity that does policework (sheriff? highway patrol?) - The local, state, or national press – maybe starting with easy-to-access student or local dailies and them moving up to more mainstream coverage - The [Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division - Special Litigation - Police Misconduct](http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/polmis.php) website - Any regional “CopWatch” organization. California has a bunch of these; not sure about other states. - The American Civil Liberties Union Whether you succeed at any of the above probably depends on a number of factors like your race, class, sex, income, Muslimness, charisma, political connections, etc. The threat of publicity may or may not protect you. It could just piss them off more. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/9 "2012-10-19T00:32:05Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Almost all areas in the U.S. are part of multiple police jurisdictions: local, county, and state at least. Some locales don’t have local police but most have a county Sheriff/Deputies and all have states have state police. They aren’t set up in a strict hierarchy and each of those has full police powers so you could call another department directly for help if you had true problems with one of them. Not all states have state police departments with full police powers. Ohio doesn’t. It has a highway patrol, but its jurisdiction when you’re not on a road or state property is limited. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/10 "2012-10-19T01:30:52Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Not all states have state police departments with full police powers. Ohio doesn’t. It has a highway patrol, but its jurisdiction when you’re not on a road or state property is limited. Are you sure about that? All law state, county, and local law enforcement have full state law enforcement powers as far as I know. Even college campus police have full police powers everywhere in the state for most if not all states. I am not saying you are wrong for Ohio. I have just never heard of such a thing before and can’t imagine how it would work if they didn’t. In Ohio, they may not be able to easily get jurisdiction over other police departments (which is relevant to the question) but the state police should still be able to help if the saw any other officer committing an obvious offense. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/11 "2012-10-19T01:49:23Z")
Cecil had a recent column that would be helpful: You could seek [sanctuary](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3073/can-i-seek-sanctuary-in-a-church) in a church. ---
**Author:** ![solosam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/12 "2012-10-19T13:41:29Z")
A related question: Indiana Supreme Court recently ruled citizens do not have the right to resist an unlawful police entry into their home. Their logic was that this would escalate a conflict into a violent confrontation the homeowner isn’t going to win anyway, so you might as well let the police in and then sue them later. > **[Examiner is back - Examiner.com](https://examiner.com)** > > Examiner.com is the go-to source for millions of people who want to know what's happening in their city. And we're still growing! In my mind, this creates the precedent that the police may do as they please and your only option for remedy is to seek a lawsuit later on. Is my interpretation correct? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/13 "2012-10-19T16:11:49Z")
I could go to work and be safe from rogue cops. Inside the fence, it’s the Warden who rules, and police of any type would need his permission to enter. AND the Warden listens to me. [sub]I hope[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/14 "2012-10-19T16:26:59Z")
The police chief where I live has been [charged with selling confiscated guns](http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/da-apollo-police-chief-sold-borough-owned-gun-pock/nPrFG/) (among other things). The investigation was done by the Pennsylvania State Police. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/15 "2012-10-19T18:15:31Z")
How about using the Dope? Seriously. If you have half a brain (and most Dopers have substantially more than that) you’ve been keeping meticulous written records of every bit of evidence you have against your commissioned ne’er do-wellers. Post it all here. The goons have a way of making things [mysteriously vanish from the Internets](http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2008/03/godaddy-silence/), but everybody here would be smart enough to instantly print out a copy or save it to their hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/16 "2012-10-19T21:44:52Z")
> [@solosam](#): > > In my mind, this creates the precedent that the police may do as they please and your only option for remedy is to seek a lawsuit later on. Is my interpretation correct? Hopefully the exclusionary rule would also apply as to any evidence of wrongdoing seized in such a search. Otherwise, there would be a fairly strong incentive to go on “fishing expeditions” if you had a hunch, or the target was poor and therefore unlikely to be able to sue, or there was some way to mitigate money damages (e.g., by being really nice in your illegal search and putting everything back in the drawers nicely folded). ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/17 "2012-10-21T01:40:29Z")
Quote: Originally Posted by solosam In my mind, this creates the precedent that the police may do as they please and your only option for remedy is to seek a lawsuit later on. Is my interpretation correct? Correct. They’ll do whatever they want, including getting phony search warrants and engaging their buddies at other agencies to help mess with you. The press will listen, but will print nothing, as the cops will deny everything. The only way out is to get the FBI to investigate and then sue the shit out of the city the cop(s) are from. You’ll need anywhere from 3-7 years. The city attorney will also deny everything, Internal Affairs will do nothing, they’ll retire the bad cops (with full pension) and then wrestle you for the smallest settlement they can - part of which will be you signing a doc that says they’re not guilty of anything and anyway you won’t ever discuss it - hoping you’ll die or rob a bank in the meanwhile. You’ll split the settlement with your attorney 60/40…after expenses. Don’t ask. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/18 "2012-10-21T03:41:42Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > The press will listen, but will print nothing, as the cops will deny everything. [Bring a video camera](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW1ZDIXiuS4), and the press will _definitely_ listen. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-could-protect-you-from-cops/638067/19 "2012-10-21T05:07:36Z")
Good luck with that in your next “bad cop” situation.