After the Stop: How to Protect Your Rights on an Arizona DUI Stop
Once a police officer has stopped a person's car, they begin gathering evidence to use against them. No matter how nice the officer is, that is what they are doing. It is their job. Phoenix DUI attorneys caution drivers not to talk too much. Simple yes or no answers will work best to protect your rights. Do not volunteer information. The officer has to prove that they have probable cause to arrest a person for DUI, not the other way around. If asked to perform Field Sobriety Tests, the best answer is to ask if compliance is voluntary. The officer will have to say that it is. The correct answer for the suspected driver at that point should be, "Thanks, but I don't think so. I haven't done anything wrong." Remember that it is not your responsibility to make an officers DUI case for them. Remain calm and polite, but remember your rights. If the officer has probable cause, they will arrest you anyway.