Did police violate protocol during your arrest?

If police have arrested you and charged you with allegations relating to drug crimes, you may understandably feel out of your element. After all, you may not have extensive knowledge of criminal law or what to expect as far as how your case will proceed. You likely already went through the booking process and release on bail or bond, and now, you may want to understand what type of criminal defense strategies could work in your favor.

The exact defense tactics that could work for you depend on the exact circumstances of your ordeal. However, it is important to remember that even small details could make a significant difference in your case. As a result, you may want to ensure that you closely assess the events that occurred during your arrest, including how the officers involved behaved.

Police procedures

Police officers have certain procedures and protocols they must follow when making an arrest. These policies work to prevent them from working outside the confines of their given authority. For example, an officer cannot simply arrest a person on a whim. The officer must have personally seen a crime take place, arrest a person after receiving a warrant from a judge or have probable cause to believe that a person carried out criminal activity. You may want to determine whether any of these details applied to your arrest.

You may also want to determine whether the arresting officer informed you of your Miranda Rights. For example, if an officer did not tell you that you have the right to remain silent and you answered questions during an interrogation or other questioning period, that information may be inadmissible in court. You also have other rights, such as the right to an attorney, that the officer should have told you about.

What if you do not know?

Of course, you likely do not have a working knowledge of the exact protocols and procedures that officers must follow. As a result, you may not know whether an officer violated your rights or whether he or she followed protocol. Fortunately, a Cincinnati attorney can go over your arrest and other aspects of your case to help you determine whether officers may have acted inappropriately. If issues in police behavior are found, that information could work as part of your defense against the drug charges.