How to Flex Your Rights During Police Encounters

There's no sugar-coating this, but the 10 Rules for Dealing with Police DVD won't be ready for the previously-announced February 12th release date. I know this is the second release date I've blown, and I apologize. Again. 

Regardless, I will keep my commitment to get the new DVD into your hands ASAP. While I'm hesitant to announce another specific release date -- I expect to ship 10 Rules DVDs by late February or early March.

In the meantime, I offer a full order refund and cancellation to anyone who requests it. And for those of you who've already announced a 10 Rules screening event for February or early March, please email me your announcement. I can burn a pre-release DVD and ship it to you in time for your event at no additional cost to you.

For those of you planning to attend the 10 Rules DC screening premiere at the Cato Institute -- or watch the live webcast -- the event has been cancelled due to The Mid-Atlantic Snowpocalypse. The event will be rescheduled, and I'll keep you posted.

Again, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience I've caused you.

The DVD release date for 10 Rules for Dealing with Police has been pushed from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12 late February/early March. This delay is my fault, and I apologize for any inconvenience this might cause you.

The new DVD is coming together just fine. I simply miscalculated how long it would take to complete the multiple elements that go into producing a professional-quality DVD.

There's little more to say other than I'm busting my butt to make this important DVD available ASAP. In the meantime, if you haven't done so yet, pre-order your 10 Rules DVD today for only $15.00. (Check out the sexy 2-minute video preview here.)

Frishling, tell him to get a warrant. Crap. Too late.

There's lots of web chatter about the two travel bloggers who got home visits from Transportation Security Administration agents. Following last week's attempted underwear bombing, the bloggers had posted a leaked TSA memo with instructions to airlines. The most familiar and ridiculed requirement blocks passengers' access to bathrooms, blankets, video entertainment, and carry-on bags during the last hour of flight.

So in an attempt to plug their own administrative leak, the new law enforcement agency did what law enforcement agencies do: they sent agents to investigate. While it's terrifying to imagine TSA agents harassing us at our homes beyond the confines of airport security, this should surprise no one.

Also not surprising is the fact that one of the two bloggers failed to flex his rights in the face of police intimidation and trickery.

According to the AP:

Steve Frischling, said he met with two TSA special agents Tuesday night at his Connecticut home for about three hours and again on Wednesday morning when he was forced to hand over his laptop computer.

As promised, 10 Rules for Dealing with Police is nearly complete! I think you'll agree that it's the most sophisticated and entertaining film of its kind, and I can't wait to get DVDs into your hands. Pre-orders will begin shipping in time for the Jan. 25 Feb. 12 late Feb./early Mar. 2010 release date.

In the meantime, enjoy the 10 Rules trailer. And check out our special holiday offers below -- including discounts on both 10 Rules DVD pre-orders and our classic offering, BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters.

Three Special DVD Discount Offers:

1) 10 Rules DVD Pre-Order for $15 (save $5.00)
   

2) Order 5 BUSTED DVDs in time for Christmas for $50 (save $25.00)
   

3) 10 Rules DVD Pre-Order + 5 BUSTED DVDs in time for Christmas for $60 (save $35.00) 
   

(Please Note: 10 Rules DVD pre-orders will ship by late Feb./early Mar., 2010. BUSTED DVD orders will ship within 48 hours of your order.)

Gotta love the ACLU for fighting for the First Amendment rights of a jackass motorist who gets arrested cited for flipping a cop the bird.

So says Sara Rose of the ACLU...

"The law is clear that using one's middle finger to express discontent or frustration is expressive conduct that is protected by the First Amendment."

Finger Flinger David Hackbart will likely get a $50,000 payment from the city of Pittsburgh. But after lawyers fees, he'll probably net about $10,000.

I wonder what Peter Griffin thinks about this?

Hours after I met Phil Mocek at the Drug Policy Alliance conference in Albuquerque, he was arrested at the local airport after he refused to show Transportation Security Authority officials his identification.

While we at Flex Your Rights start by educating folks on how to avoid arrest, we admire the Flex experts (Flexperts?) like Phil who know their rights and are prepared to take an arrest in order to test bad laws in court.

And this is where things get weird with the shadowy world of the TSA: Phil didn't break any written laws. Refusing to provide ID to TSA agents isn't a crime -- yet he was charged with disorderly conduct, concealing identify, resisting arrest and criminal trespass.

Presumably, most or all of these charges will be dropped. And Phil is likely to fight things out in court if they are not.

Regardless of the outcome, Flex gives major props to freedom fighters like Phil and John Gilmore who put their freedom on the line to expose new and strange limitations on everyone's personal freedoms.

Here is a must-see video series describing the ongoing marijuana arrest crusade in the purportedly most liberal city in the US. The series features Friend of Flex Prof. Harry Levine and explains why so many marijuana arrests occur in a city where marijuana possession is technically decriminalized.

Before you go click away, please fill out this webform now! We're migrating our entire list to a new privacy-enhancing "double opt-in" system, which requires you to resubscribe to continue receiving Flex Your Rights Alerts.

By doing so, you'll be among the first to know when our new film, 10 Rules for Dealing with Police is ready to order. You'll also receive discounts on other Flex merchandise plus news about how new Supreme Court decisions impact your rights. Thank you!

Each frisk is an ordinary injustice. One million frisks is a national tragedy disgrace.

Apparently Taser Inc. is developing a police suit that would videotape an officer's every moment. Friend of Flex Radley Balko discusses this and how new video technologies are altering the relationship between the police and the policed.