If law enforcement officers stop you on the street or arrest you in Scottsdale, AZ, you don’t have to answer their questions. Instead, you can say, “I do not want to talk to you,” in a polite tone of voice and calmly walk away. Or, if you are not comfortable saying that, you can ask if you are free to go. If the officer says you are not under arrest, but you are not free to go, then you are being detained.
Being detained is not the same thing as being arrested. However, an arrest could follow. You do not need to answer any questions if you are detained or arrested. The police may ask for your name once you have been detained, and you can be arrested in some states for refusing to provide it.
If you are ever detained and/or arrested in Scottsdale, AZ, or any other city in the Phoenix metro area, you should ask for an attorney right before you answer any questions from police officers. Do not tell the police anything except your name. For more information, or to schedule a free criminal consultation, contact Jeremy Geigle JacksonWhite’s criminal defense attorney at (480) 818-9943.