I was walking home from a restaurant when a police officer pulled me over and falsely accused me of breaking into parked vehicles. The accusation was based purely on the fact that I was walking around the city at night, with no other indication of wrongdoing.

After unsuccessfully trying to search me for weapons the officer assumed I was carrying, I was able to negotiate my release from what he identified as a detainment (illegal under the Fourth Amendment). Unfortunately, I was in a heightened emotional state and did not think to ask for the officer’s name or badge number, or I would have lodged a formal complaint with the department. There is a widespread belief that you shouldn’t worry about your privacy being violated if you have nothing to hide. Personal privacy is vital to security and self-preservation. By allowing police and other officials to violate your personal privacy, which is officially seen in most first-world countries (except the United States) as an inalienable human right, you are compromising your own safety. While we don’t have explicit protections in place to ensure personal privacy under U.S. law, we do have a few broad safeguards in place, courtesy of the Fourth Amendment.

Remember: You have the right to be secure in your person, your home and your effects. You have the right to expect no unreasonable searches and seizures. You have the right to move about freely without harassment or suspicionless detention. Please keep in mind that police officers are public servants and are accountable to average citizens. Police officers are upholders of the law, and it is the responsibility of the citizen to make sure that police are held accountable for the responsible use of their power.

Bradley Abeyta

Durango