You’ve probably done it before, or maybe you’ve seen someone do it. Someone in the car with you curses at a police officer who just pulled them over. Whether it’s because they’re mad about getting pulled over or just don’t like cops, in general, is irrelevant. The person let’s the officer know exactly what they think of him, and does so by using foul language and perhaps even making offensive hand gestures as they drive away. Cursing at a police officer, whether directly or indirectly, is never acceptable behavior — especially if you are unlucky enough to be caught red-handed by that same cop! That being said, some people may wonder: Can you get arrested for cursing at a cop? If so, under what circumstances? Do different states have different laws on cursing at a police officer? Keep reading to find out!
Can You Get Arrested For Cursing At A Cop?
No. You cannot get arrested for cursing at a cop. The Supreme Court has ruled that it is not a crime to curse at a police officer unless the curse words are coupled with physical threats or other aggravating circumstances. Granted, one may still be arrested for these other illegal activities if they are occurring at the same time, but the swearing itself is not sufficient reason to arrest someone. And it certainly is not a crime to curse at a police officer.
Why You Shouldn’t Curse At A Police Officer?
1. It’s a Bad Look
It’s a bad look to curse at a police officer. Even if you are giving the officer grief for no good reason, why go out of your way to insult him? This can lead to an escalation of the situation, and in some cases, could even result in being shot.
2. You Are Making Yourself Look Like a Criminal
Cursing at the police officer is like flashing a sign that says: “I am guilty of something illegal!” This is not only an automatic red flag for law enforcement officials, but also makes it look as though you are trying to hide something. If you are on probation or parole for some other crime, it will be much more likely that they will be able to find out about it just by looking at your record or through their own investigation. This can lead to additional criminal charges (or even an additional sentence) because you may have been trying to hide your previous criminal activity. If a police officer has a bad day and decides to arrest you for cursing at them, it will look like your behavior was in retaliation for that cop’s actions.
3. You Will Look Bad in Front of Your Lawyer
In an ideal world, you should always have a lawyer present whenever you are talking to the police or being interrogated. But if you get arrested for cursing at the cop, your lawyer will likely want to view the video from the traffic stop before proceeding with any sort of defense strategy or strategy on how best to approach the situation. This is because most lawyers will not want their client looking like he or she is trying to obstruct justice by providing false information when they are being questioned by law enforcement officials. This can also lead to additional charges against your attorney if he or she is found to be attempting to hide information from law enforcement officials.
4. You Will Look Bad in Front of Your Colleagues and Clients
The same thing goes for your colleagues and clients. If you are being arrested for cursing at the police officer, it will be very embarrassing to explain this to your coworkers and clients. You may even lose business because of it.
5. It May Lead to a Felony Charge
If you are charged with a felony, the judge will most likely take into consideration not only the nature of your previous offenses but also any evidence that was obtained when you were arrested for cursing at the officer. This can lead to additional charges, especially if you have been arrested before and have convictions in multiple states or if an arrest warrant has been issued for you in another state after law enforcement officials found out about your previous criminal offenses in that state.
6. You Can Be Arrested for Filing a False Police Report
In some states, if an officer is assaulted by someone who is not under arrest or detained by an officer, he or she can file a false report with law enforcement officials so that they can arrest the individual who assaulted or verbally assaulted the officer. This is another reason why it is important to cooperate with law enforcement officials when they are asking you questions.
7. You Can Be Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement Officials
Law enforcement officials can also file assault charges against you if they believe that you were physically assaulting them, even if you were not arrested at the time of the assault or did not have any charges filed against you at that time. If this happens, it will be very difficult to prove your innocence because of how easy it would be for an officer to lie in court and say that he or she was assaulted by you, especially if the officer has a history of filing false police reports and being violent towards other people.
How Can You Be Arrested For Cursing At A Cop?
1. There Is a Law Against It
In some states and jurisdictions, it is illegal to curse at an officer. This means that even if you are not arrested for cursing at an officer, the police can file charges against you for cursing at them, or the judge can find you guilty of the charge of cursing at an officer in court.
2. There Are Laws Against Filing a False Police Report
If law enforcement officials are assaulted by someone who is not under arrest or detained by an officer and they file a false report with law enforcement officials so that they can arrest the individual who assaulted or verbally assaulted the officer, this is also considered to be a crime.
3. You Can Be Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement Officials
Law enforcement officials can also file assault charges against you if they believe that you were physically assaulting them, even if you were not arrested at the time of the assault or did not have any charges filed against you at that time. If this happens, it will be very difficult to prove your innocence because of how easy it would be for an officer to lie in court and say that he or she was assaulted by you, especially if the officer has a history of filing false police reports and being violent towards other people.
4. There Are Laws Against Filing a False Police Report
If law enforcement officials are assaulted by someone who is not under arrest or detained by an officer and they file a false report with law enforcement officials so that they can arrest the individual who assaulted or verbally assaulted the officer, this is also considered to be a crime.
5. You Can Be Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement Officials
Law enforcement officials can also file assault charges against you if they believe that you were physically assaulting them, even if you were not arrested at the time of the assault or did not have any charges filed against you at that time. If this happens, it will be very difficult to prove your innocence because of how easy it would be for an officer to lie in court and say that he or she was assaulted by you, especially if the officer has a history of filing false police reports and being violent towards other people.
The Bottom Line
It is important to remember that people are more than just their jobs. Police officers are humans too, and they will likely be offended by your profanity-laced insults and threats. Even if you think you have justification for your anger and frustration, yelling at a police officer is the worst way to take action against the police. It is also likely to result in your arrest, even in states where cursing at a police officer isn’t against the law. If you are angry and you want to take action, be mindful of your words and actions. You might just end up regretting them later.
