It is important to know your rights and think first about the law before you speak or act.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, police abuse continues to be a major civil rights problem in the United States, particularly against the poor and disenfranchised.
Today's conservative courts generally support broad police powers at the expense of individual civil rights.
Santa Rosa and Sonoma County law enforcement are no exception. Illegal DUI stops and arrests happen here, and police statements and "advice" are often misleading.
You may wish to read the following internet publications which discuss your rights during DUI and other police encounters:
Police Confrontations:
State Bar of California, What Should I Know if I am Arrested?
Sonoma County ACLU, Your Rights and the Police
Northern California ACLU, Your Rights and the Police (foldable)
National ACLU, Know Your Rights when Encountering Law Enforcement
National Lawyers Guild, Know Your Rights! Pamphlet, and Know Your Rights Manual
Midnight Special Law Collective, Dealing with Police
Special Situations:
Demonstrations: Northern California ACLU, Know Your Rights - Free Speech, Protests, and Demonstrations in California
Immigrant Rights: Northern California ACLU, Tus Derechos Ante La Policia / Your Rights and the Police
LGBTQ Student Rights: Northern California ACLU, LGBTQ Students Know Your Rights: You Have the Right to be Yourself
Photographers: National ACLU, Know Your Rights: Photographers
Youth Rights: Northern California ACLU, You Have the Right To Not Remain Silent
Access more resources:
For more videos like these shown here (left), which may be applicable in Sonoma County DUI arrest situations and all other kinds of Santa Rosa police encounters, visit FlexYourRights.org.
Also view the additional page links (upper left) on this Know Your Rights page: Bust Card offers generalized considerations for Santa Rosa DUI police stops, and Excessive Force & Police Abuse discusses local Sonoma County efforts to address police abuse during DUI arrests and all other kinds of police encounters, and lists all available local police agency complaint forms, and provides a continuing source of national police misconduct news stories.
In addition, on this Sonoma County DUI site Jake lists internet links for a wide array of civil rights organizations, as well as websites for every single Santa Rosa and Sonoma County law enforcement agency. To view these "Agencies" links (and lots more access to the law and law enforcement), click on Resources and then select a category.
Consult a Sonoma County DUI lawyer for legal advice:
Note any publication dates on the above materials and understand that laws change, and in addition your circumstances may require different considerations. None of this information is legal advice because it isn't individually directed or tailored to you; always consult with a Santa Rosa DUI attorney, or other applicable professionals, about your unique situation.
Know Your Rights
Know Your Rights Videos
"10 Rules for Dealing with Police"
"BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters"
"Don't Talk to Cops"
"Don't Talk to Cops, Part 2"