Getting arrested is definitely not a pleasant experience, even if the reason is something you’ll laugh about in a few months from now. Maybe you and some friends decided to pull a prank and steal a traffic cone, and a police officer was just there to catch you. It’s something that seems small but can put you in jail for 24 hours at least.
When a person gets taken into custody, there is a specific series of events that follows, and the police must follow some legal procedures to comply with the person’s rights. If you or someone you know got taken into custody, here is what happens at the police station and what you can do.
The arrest
When the police arrest someone, that person has the right to get legal advice for free if they can not afford an attorney, as well as ask the police to tell a friend or family member about the arrest. One can also request the Codes of Practice, which is a book that explains what police can do, as well as how they should do it.
If the person being arrested is vulnerable due to a mental illness, they have the right to have an appropriate adult with them. This can include a family member or friend, but some police stations also have professionals working as appropriate adults that can help the arrested person communicate with the police. If you suspect a friend of yours may be in this position and needs an appropriate adult with them, you can perform an inmate search online and find out where they are being detained. For example, an Arkansas inmate search will reveal, based on the details you provide, the people held in police custody that match the criteria you entered.
What happens next?
After the arrest, the individual will be taken to the police station by the custody sergeant so that their personal information, such as name, date of birth, and address, can be checked. They will also check all the belongings of the arrested person and put them in a sealed envelope so that the individual can take them back after they are released.
The police will likely take photographs of the arrested person, as well as fingerprints and DNA samples if necessary. If it is considered that the person may be hiding an item, the police have the right to strip-search them.
The step that follows is the interview, where the police will be asking about the person’s involvement in the crime. Just because the police are questioning you right now, it does not necessarily mean you have been charged, so make sure you take the interview as a chance to tell your version of the events. It is recommended your legal advisor is with you during the interview to ensure your rights are being protected.
After the interview, if the police do not have enough evidence to charge you or keep you in custody, they will let you go, but they can keep you for longer if they believe they still need time to gather evidence.