Info Leaflet: “What Do I Do If I Am Arrested?”
Centre for Justice released a 16-page leaflet titled “What do I do if I am arrested?,” which covers topics including talking to the police, being searched, fingerprints, ID parades, receiving legal aid and more.
“This is to assist anyone who finds themselves in police custody without a lawyer,” says Venous Memari, Managing Director of Centre for Justice. “Our role is to help people to understand Bermuda’s laws, and consequently their rights under those laws.
“If you have never been arrested, or taken to a police station, or been in court – or even been stopped and searched on the street – it’s intimidating. Knowing the rules should help. Ideally, you would have a lawyer to guide you through this new territory, but if you don’t then there are things you should know.”
The leaflet starts by focusing on such topics as: talking to the police, being stopped and searched, and being arrested. It guides the reader through their rights in custody, participation in an identification procedure and how to get free legal advice.
Ms Memari said: “We’re not trying to take the place of a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. What we’ve aimed to do is demonstrate for individuals how the system works for them – not against them. I want to make it clear that this is in no way intended to undermine procedures that protect us all. Centre for Justice exists to protect the rule of law.”
The leaflets are available for download, and hard copies are available at their office in The Armoury Building on Reid Street, Hamilton, all police stations, the Legal Aid Office, the Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman as well as other community organisations.
The Centre for Justice’s leaflet follows below [PDF here]:
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This document is very informative and on time. I have one question that appears not to have been covered in this document. And i am hoping that it could be answered or included as an update to this wonderful document. What happens if you do not want to give a statement to the police while in their custody. Basically can I refuse to be interviewed?
That is covered in the document:
“The police may have questions for you about the crime they suspect you committed. Your interview will be video-recorded and may be given in evidence at court. You have the right to remain silent.”
Good god, are we coaching bad people?
You should not be arrested? Be decent, man up for FKS sake.
What have we come to Bermuda?
Next week, what happens after you take hard drugs….
Ya run hahaha
…and then get a beat down when they catch you…hahaha!!!
This is a very informative document.
The next step is to make it mandatory reading for all police officers!
@ o_o and others like you, stop and think about the question before you rush to answer. What I am enquiring about is not in the document. The answer to my question is not contained in the document at all. What is contained in the document gives the impression that one must be interviewed but can choose to say nothing. To make it clear, to you and others like you, can an arrested person refuse to be interviewed period meaning not participate in the interview process at all, like when the officer comes to interview the arrested person, can that person say no I do not wish to be interviewed period and remain in their cell?
Well your right to remain silent applies no matter what. Presumably, if you refuse to participate in an interview, they wouldn’t force you to take part – it would serve no useful purpose. However, I would think strongly about taking this course of action because the interview is as much your opportunity to get your side told as it is for the police to get information from you.
The prosecution shouldn’t be making any comment in court later on regardless of whether you gave a no comment interview, or if you chose not to participate.
Interesting question. Seems to me the arrested person would want his request to remain silent properly documented on video.
I suppose it depends on the circumstances.
Let’s see what the experts say.
And then after all dat..call ya mama! LMAO!
This is good work.
I remember when Parish Sgt. Michelle Simons used to give handouts out to us young people. One was “What to do when stopped by police”, another was “Peers against speeding and stealing”. They were good quick reading and the information stuck.
I will hang on to this. It is a bit lengthy so it should be required reading in the Citizenship course at senior school.
“They may search inside your mouth”
What I gathered from this document is that the police may molest you at any time for any reason and you are not allowed to resist as this would be obstructing them.
I watch trutv and a lot of times the only reason the police are able to charge a lot of the suspects on that show was because the suspect talked to the police.
I haven’t seen the leaflet. Does it by any chance advise the subject to cooperate and tell the truth?
Having read it, no. There is nothing in there about telling the truth or cooperating. Not even mentioned.
Sandy bottom, what exactly is the truth? I’ve learned a longtime ago that it takes two to tango.
It’s actually pretty simple. I assume it’s not mentioned in the leaflet?
at least if you read this you can let the policeman know as he is taking your A$$ away about how much of your rights you know
so since this is out as a hand book when are we the people actually gonna get human rights back? police currently can harass you for no good reason, the current laws leave no protection from the police and there ways, plus it gives them a right for unlawful harassment, please bermuda bring back the peopls rights so we also have protoction from them…