What to do if stopped by police? Brochure outlines rights, responsibilities

Four local police departments have agreed to require all officers to read, understand and be tested on a brochure outlining the rights and responsibilities of citizens during a police encounter.

Pittsburgh’s Citizens Police Review Board and the Black Political Empowerment Project, with input from police officers and community groups and residents, updated the existing brochure following last year’s shooting death of Antwon Rose by an East Pittsburgh police officer.

The Pittsburgh Police Bureau along with Allegheny County Police, Port Authority of Allegheny County Police and the Wilkinsburg Police have agreed to require all officers to read and be tested on the material. Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen said he would require his deputies to read the brochure. Pittsburgh Public School police officials support it and are talking with the administration about distribution to officers, according to Tim Stevens, chairman of B-PEP.

“We view this commitment as a clear and solid statement on the part of these police departments to help ensure that the public and the police will be working from the same base of information as to what should happen when there is an encounter between a citizen and the police,” Stevens said.

Entitled “You & The Police: Rights, Responsibilities & Realities,” the brochure outlines what a citizen should do if stopped or visited at home by police.

It advises that citizens are not required to answer a police officer’s questions, but it recommends compliance.

“Be polite and respectful,” the brochure advises. “Although ‘bad mouthing’ or criticizing a police officer may be legally protected speech, it is not recommended and may escalate a tense encounter.”

It also advises citizens to “stay calm,” to keep hands in an officer’s sight and to avoid sudden movements.

“Do not run. You might get hurt,” it says. “Do not resist even if you believe you have done nothing wrong.”

Beth Pittinger, executive director of the police review board, lauded the departments for cooperating with and helping to rewrite the brochure.

“The impetus for this was to promote a much safer environment,” she said. “When engagement happens, with this commitment from our esteemed police departments here, the officers will know what the civilians have read… what we have encouraged in terms of safe practices.”

The brochure will be distributed in schools, churches and in neighborhoods, according to Stevens.

“It is our hope that all of these efforts will provide a higher level of accountability on the part of these police departments to the public they serve,” he said.