Ways to protect yourself from police harassment and abuse

Online forums and the media always are full with stories of individuals that have been harassed one way or the other by the police. In Nigeria today, especially in this part, the issue of police harassment and abuse is no longer news. It's either you're been stopped by an officer to be questioned, or your phone would be checked. Now what can you do to stop police harassment and abuse? You will find out in this article.

The police are empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect lives and property, and limit civil disorder; while abiding by the law themselves. But ironically, in many places today, innocent civilians have fallen victim to various forms of misconduct by the police, who go beyond boundaries of their job and conduct harassing behavior. It’s only unfortunate that these victims are being terrorized by the same people who should be protecting them in the first place.

The misconduct of the police, which includes harassment and abuse of civilians, refers to any inappropriate action taken by police officers in connection with their duties. Examples of such inappropriate actions include abuse of power, lying against the accused even when under oath, selective enforcement, false arrest, falsified evidence, intimidation, false imprisonment, police brutality, racial profiling, police corruption, surveillance abuse and so on.

If you have been a victim of police harassment in the past, you would agree that it’s always a frightening and unsettling experience, which makes you feel helpless. And if you don’t do something to stop it, chances are you will fall victim again and again. Well, below are few tips on how you can stop police harassment and abuse:

1.  Understand your rights

Do you know your right? 

As a civilian if you don't understand your rights, you'd be forced to believe that many wrong doings by this uniformed men are right. And in that case, you won’t even know that you are being victimized. You can visit the nearest police department or contact a well-known police officer to make enquiry about citizen’s rights. Most officers are happy to let you know your rights as a civilian.

Alternatively, contact an attorney to make enquiry or get a copy of the constitution or criminal law code for your state or country and learn what your rights are. Equipping yourself with knowledge of what a police officer can do and cannot do to you is your first line of defense against subsequent episodes of police harassment and abuse.

2. Always walk around with an Identity card.

You see most of us are found wanting in this area. Most of the victims of police harassment often ain't found with a means of identification. Always move around with an identity card so as to prevent being harassed to some extent. If you're a business man get a business card,are you a student staying off campus or even within the school campus, always move around with your student identity card.

3. Your appearance tells lots more about your personality.

You can't be dressed like a thug and expect to be addressed like a gentle man, or you look more like a rascal as a student and demand your respect and rights to be acknowledged by this law enforcement people. They have been trained to study individuals based on their looks, appearance, steps and generally body movements. Learn to dress and appear well mannered. With this the rate at which you'd be harassed by the police would reduce so drastically. Lets help ourselves serve our mother land with honor and maintain peace in our land.