Stop And Identify Is A Police Procedure
Video Transcribed: Tulsa Attorney Isaiah Brydie with Urban Legal. And today’s video is going to be all about the stop and identify doctorate. So basically, stop and identify is a police procedure where they approach an individual and they ask them to identify themselves by giving some form of identification such as a license or some kind of ID card. Or you can identify yourself by giving your name or a date of birth and things like that. So really, you have to ask the question here, in what states is a stop and identify legal?
Some states have opted in to making actual statutes empowering police officers to stop and identify individuals based upon absolutely nothing. Other states have necessary requirements in order for the police to stop you and ask you to identify yourself. Here in the state of Oklahoma, the police can only ask you to identify yourself and you’re only required to identify yourself to a police officer if you are suspected of committing a crime or about to commit a crime.
So the main thing to ask here is whether or not you are being detained. Because if you are being detained, more likely than not, you will be required to give some kind of identification information such as a driver’s license, things like that. However, the police tell you that you’re not being detained and if you are free to leave, then you don’t have to give them anything.
If they just come up to you just asking you random questions about where you’re going or where you’re coming from, first thing that needs to come out of your mouth is, are you being detained? If they say yes, you need to cooperate from there. Give them your name, give them your ID and things like that. If you’re not being detained, then you don’t have to give them anything. So yeah, that’s stop and identify, guys. Be sure to go ahead and get in contact with us at the email or the phone number that you see listed. And you guys have a good day.