![]() This is a form that gathers general but pertinent information about them. ![]() I like to begin with an information sheet. Attempt to learn as much as you can about them. I don’t mean interrogate them I mean interview and debrief them. Upon arrest, make it a point to talk to these individuals. You’ll see below that as much as they admonish our justice system, they are happy to try to use it against us. Consider the areas they frequent, the vehicles they drive, the people they associate with, their interests, hobbies, family, their parole or probationary status, employment or social service benefits status, prior drug/alcohol abuse, scars, marks, tattoos and possible weapons in the home.Īs much as they proclaim their disdain for the government, they are known to take full advantage of all the government is willing to give them. Make use of every database you can think of, including social media, to learn as much as you can. Obviously, we will look at their criminal records but go beyond that. Therefore, officers should conduct thorough background checks based upon the information he or she is able to gather. ![]() However, the more we are able to learn about these unique individuals, the better armed we will be for future encounters and successful prosecutions.ĭespite the challenges posed by sovereign citizens, intelligence gathering will be our most valuable investigative tool. This lack of organization does little to help investigators to get a foothold. It’s a fractured series of loosely affiliated individuals who adhere to anti-government ideologies. Gather intelligenceĪnother challenge faced by investigators is the fact that the sovereign citizen movement is not an organized civil or criminal enterprise. They may identify themselves as “the representative of…(their legal name).” If you do receive a name, it may be a sovereign name, compounded with “El” or “Bey” and intended to denounce their association with the name provided them by a government entity.īe sure to document all known aliases. When asked to provide a name, they may respond that they don’t have a name. Much of their personal identification information, such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses or vehicle tags are fraudulent documents. Sovereign citizens can be an investigative challenge. I also encourage you to take a moment and watch this brief safety video offered by West Memphis Police Chief Bob Paudert, father of Sergeant Brandon Paudert, regarding the dangers of sovereign citizens: On YouTube and other internet sites, there are some great examples of officer/sovereign encounters where officers remain professional and task oriented despite being confronted and challenged. The fact that you are being challenged does not change your training or what lawful enforcement actions are available to you. Explain your purpose or intentions as you would in any other circumstance. Remain calm and professionalĭon’t engage in an argument. Also, recognize that the sovereign citizen may attempt to videotape your encounter. ![]() With sovereign citizens, I suggest you try to de-escalate any situation when you have the opportunity. I encourage you to be knowledgeable about the Constitution, the laws of your state and your enforcement options. Too often our egos kick in whenever our authority is challenged and we end up arrogantly contributing to the escalation of an argument rather than guiding its de-escalation. Often, their mantra is intended simply to throw you off your game. Many of them speak as if they are reading from a script. ![]() Stay on your gameĭon’t get pulled into a battle of wits based upon sovereign citizen rhetoric. They may question your authority or where you derive your jurisdiction and inform you that they do not believe in the United States Constitution or any other “illegitimate” government documents from which police powers are derived. They may proclaim themselves as sovereign citizens right from the beginning or they may simply challenge your right or authority to stop/detain them. One of the first things to recognize is that a sovereign citizen is likely to be argumentative with police authorities. I strongly suggest to any officer encountering a suspected sovereign citizen to proceed with extreme caution, employing all necessary tactical officer safety precautions. One must look no further than the tragic deaths of Sergeant Brandon Paudert and Officer Bill Evans of the West Memphis Police Department in order to understand the risk of spontaneous violence from self-proclaimed sovereign citizens. The threat to officer safety posed by sovereign citizens is well known. Sovereign citizen training for law enforcement ![]()
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