The cops

[interleukin]

1. How to identify?
Their suits have a big logo on the shoulder, the lion on the end of a sword. That is usually very easy to spot.
http://virtuoosi.pkky.fi/vilma/poliisi/kuvat/!polmiek.gif

[Upphew]

1. How to identify?
Everyone looks like a cop to me. The standard utility work uniform is cop blue. The vans energy companies and tradesmen drive are generally cop blue, heck some even have blue lights in the grill.

Only emergency vehicles can have blue lights and cop car showing red light facing forward means stop.
Cops have "badges": http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument
And uniforms: http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument

2. What types and who to avoid
SO ive spotted the regular polici vans and cars. Ive seen *****polici in green vans (military police right??) And ive encountered unmarked "stalker" cars. Any others?

If you want to get the interest of the police, avoid them. I've seen green customs and border guard cars too.

3.Who can arrest me?
DO military police have power of arrest outside the confines of their military role?
DO off duty police have the same power of arrest as if they were on duty?
Citizans arrest?.. Legal here?

Only police, customs, border guards and prosecutor can arrest people. And not even all polices can arrest: constable and sergeant in all of their flavours can only detain you.

Other people can only detain you, civilians too.

Detainment = up to 24 hours, Arrest = ~72h, after that it is jail time.

4. Dealing with cops
What is your typical cop mentality here? SO far I have nothing but praise in my personal dealings with your police.
I offer them politeness and respect and recieve it back. But equaly i have seen severe brutality and public humiliation dished out by finnish cops.
IS it true or a myth that a finnish cop can gain entry into your property without search warrant based on minimal or "make believe" suspicion?

You reap what you sow. People who can arrest you can also search your property or give some other coppers permission for search.

5. I have a family member by marriage who is a cop...SHould I avoid them at all costs?
Surely if my cop cousin has powers of arrest off duty.. then cop cousin must be obligated to act on anything misdeameanour i might admit to while in "family" mode.

In not on the interpol list or anything.. I was just thinking about this stuff and thought id post.

I wouldn't admit to anything... but to avoid just because of the job... overkill is the word that came to my mind.

[Jukka Aho]

In not on the interpol list or anything.. I was just thinking about this stuff and thought id post.

Your questions kind of make me think you’re either a juvenile deliquent with aspirations of becoming the most notorious graffit artist in the town, a pothead growing your own weed, or a professional con artist of some sort, or might be coming from a 3rd world country where the local police force is utterly corrupt, regularly untrustworthy and randomly violent... or any combination of those.

You can obseve the men in blue in their line of duty on JIM (the TV channel) at 8:30 p.m. each weekday from Monday till Thusday on a show called “Poliisit”. Note that the site also links to some of the previous episodes which you can view online – turn off your ad blocker and reload the page if you get an error message in the video player.

[Rip]

5. I have a family member by marriage who is a cop...SHould I avoid them at all costs?

If you earn your living from drug trade... Otherwise, simply as a practical issue, a confession alone has little weight in Finnish courts. Even if he wanted to bust you, what could he do if you told you were speeding on the way to the visit?

(been once in an event among young adults where the off-duty police officer present "decided to take a leak" when the other organizers wanted to tell how (not quite legally proper) alcoholic drinks distribution was arranged)

[Pursuivant]

Well, you go to www.poliisi.fi and have a look around. They explain most of the stuff.

1. How to identify?
Everyone looks like a cop to me. The standard utility work uniform is cop blue. The vans energy companies and tradesmen drive are generally cop blue, heck some even have blue lights in the grill.

Cop vans/cars are white, with two blue horizontal bands and the "fruit salad" on the roof and the word written on the side. Its illegal to "impersonate" a police car - they get very much not amused. Then they have unmarked cars (white vans, red vans, station wagons) all-white patrol cars, and old bangers you can tell by the hidden lights behind the grill... a car behind you having blue flashers and showing a red light is a cop.
Unless they're in uniform they need to show you an ID card (police ID is on the poliisi.fi pages, they don't have "badges" as such).

2. What types and who to avoid
SO ive spotted the regular polici vans and cars. Ive seen *****polici in green vans (military police right??) And ive encountered unmarked "stalker" cars. Any others?

Green camo vans is the MP, but they only bother you directing traffic during excersizes of if you wander into a military area (theres a few depots like just across from Seurasaari).
Customs have green cars with a bear & sword emblem & Green uniforms and then theres Customs who have darker blue uniforms than the Police but very similar. They sometimes participate in tax-free car raids & illegal aliens theme days.

3.Who can arrest me?

Anyone, if you are caught with "fresh blood" or "running". The posse can detain you until the police show up. Certain people mentioned in the law are given "official rights" as well as "legal protection" so if you punch say a person designated a "keeper of peace" punching him means you punched a police officer and will get sued for "violent opposition of an office holder".

4. Dealing with cops
What is your typical cop mentality here? SO far I have nothing but praise in my personal dealings with your police.
I offer them politeness and respect and recieve it back. But equaly i have seen severe brutality and public humiliation dished out by finnish cops.
IS it true or a myth that a finnish cop can gain entry into your property without search warrant based on minimal or "make believe" suspicion?

There really isn't a "search warrant"... you neighbour calls in you playing your stereos too loud at night, the police ring your doorbell, come in to "check the situation", check the ID of everybody and tell people to piss off. They will bust you for the weed plant and your friend for overstaying his visa, so... don't break the stereo too loud at night if you got pissy neighbors.

5. I have a family member by marriage who is a cop...SHould I avoid them at all costs?
Surely if my cop cousin has powers of arrest off duty.. then cop cousin must be obligated to act on anything misdeameanour i might admit to while in "family" mode.

Depends on exactly how well you know your cousin and how well he likes you.

[Pursuivant]

You can obseve the men in blue in their line of duty on JIM (the TV channel) at 8:30 p.m. each weekday from Monday till Thusday on a show called “Poliisit”. Note that the site also links to some of the previous episodes which you can view online – turn off your ad blocker and reload the page if you get an error message in the video player.

That is the best way to see how its done... and you get to see some real Finnish basket cases in the summer episodes

[Jukka Aho]

There really isn't a "search warrant"... you neighbour calls in you playing your stereos too loud at night, the police ring your doorbell, come in to "check the situation"

Am i obliged by law to open the door and let them in? Is it not enough to keep my safety latch on? DO i HAVE to let them in? What are the ramifications if I dont?
In your example, my stereo was too loud. police knock.. i turn it down.. DO I HAVE to let them in?

In order to conduct a search in your home the police need to suspect you of an offense with a maximum sentence of no less than six months in the slammer. “Violation of domestic peace” (kotirauhan rikkominen) belongs to that category. One of the ways by which you could violate someone’s “domestic peace” is producing excessive, unreasonable noise which can be heard in their apartment.

But if you come and answer the door and turn down the volume by their request – instead of just ignoring the doorbell – it’s pretty obvious there’d be no grounds for searching your apartment unless something else should come up. (For example, something that can be seen, heard, or smelled while standing at the door and which suggests something illegal might be going on in the apartment.)

The officer who decides about conducting such a search or who grants a permission for it needs to be legally entitled to arrest people himself. But even officers with no such powers can conduct a house search without prior authorization if they’re trying to catch a person who has a warrant on him or chasing a suspect who is running away from them, or trying to get hold on to an object which is to be seized from the suspect.

The law suggests there should normally be a witness to the search called upon the scene by the person conducting the search. Also, the person whose property is being searched (or, in his absence, a person living in the same house... such as a family member) needs to be given the opportunity to oversee the search (should they want to) and they should also be given the opportunity to call up a witness on their own if that will not unduly prolong the search. If the person whose property is being searched is not present at the time of the search he needs to be notified of the search at the earliest opportunity.

There may be an actual order on a paper on conducting the search which you could ask to see, but such order might just as well be oral, in which case the person conducting the search would basically just say he has been authorized to do it by such-and-such if he’s not himself in a position to decide about such things. The search must be conducted in a way it will not cause more trouble or damage than necessary. The persons conducting the search are allowed to break into the property to be searched, but they also need to lock it up afterwards. Unless there’s a specific reason to the contrary such search should not be conducted between 9 pm and 6 am.

Can they demand a stop and search and go through my junk at random ??

This is called henkilöntarkastus. They can subject you to that if they suspect you of an offense for which the maximum sentence is no less than 6 months, or a petty assault, or shoplifting, embezzlement, usage of illegal substances, driving a stolen vehicle, possession of burglarly tools, violation of alcohol laws, nuisance, or fraud.

See Pakkokeinolaki 30.4.1987/450, 5 luku, “Etsintä”

What is the correct way to deal with a police stop? I have always pulled over, turned my car off, closed windows, exited the vehicle and LOCKED the doors.

Most people would remain in the driver’s seat and prepare to present their driver’s licence and the vehicle registration papers since the officer will ask to see them anyway. A routine stop check typically also includes a breathalyzer test.

Everything that was said about a house search above applies to a vehicle search as well.

[Rip]

What is the correct way to deal with a police stop? I have always pulled over, turned my car off, closed windows, exited the vehicle and LOCKED the doors.

In the end they would (after finding you did not hide anything illegal in your car) perhaps ask, what made you basically initiate a search when they only wanted to see your licence and registration papers originally... Jukka as such gave correct answers, but I would add I have a feeling the police would be rather eager to come up with a reason to search you quite thoroughly. Additionally, even without a suspected crime, the road-traffic code and vehicles gives them to right inspect your car for road-worthiness, and they can do pretty through job, if they feel motivated.

[Pursuivant]

What is the correct way to deal with a police stop? I have always pulled over, turned my car off, closed windows, exited the vehicle and LOCKED the doors.
Can they demand a stop and search and go through my junk at random ??.

Uhhh... you want to get shot? Well, in America you would. Usually its a two-car speedtrap, the radars somewhere and the pullup is behind the hill or curve... if its from the behind you pull off to a curb you don't have much more time than to roll down your window and breathe deep as its blowjob time. Then you need to have your registration ready as well as your licence. And ready to answer some stupid questions like what was your speed there and whats the limit.

If you pulled a stunt like that, I'd expect you to be held 24 hours for ID check while your fingerprints get beamed to Guantansmo, given a rectal examination and explosive laxatives, your car will be full of K9 hairs and your boot and back seat ripped to find the blood of the corpse you were hiding as they didnt find the drugs... As you must be hiding something pulling that kind of a stunt..

[Pursuivant]

Oh and then you'd be on the !"#¤% so all patrols would constantly be pulling you over.

[Pursuivant]

Usually if you get ticketed on the road its the same as in UK you get to go sit in the police car and they fumnle with their computers. One thing you sjould know is that traffic fines-if not fixed amount fines, are "day fines" used to be " days in jail". So as a rich mans day is worth more than a poor mans day, they'll ask you your monthly income. And you may not lie, and you can not lie, as tax records are public so they can and will pull up your last years tax return data for the calculation...

[CH]

What is the correct way to deal with a police stop? I have always pulled over, turned my car off, closed windows, exited the vehicle and LOCKED the doors.

Most people would remain in the driver’s seat and prepare to present their driver’s licence and the vehicle registration papers since the officer will ask to see them anyway. A routine stop check typically also includes a breathalyzer test.

Eeeeeh... as other's have said, DO NOT do what you listed. Just don't, ok? Looks incredibly suspicious. I would add to Jukka's commant above though...

When you are stopped at a routine check (usually a couple of police officers next to the road showing you a sign to pull over) just pull to wherever the police is pointing and park there. Usually there are one or two other cars, too, that have been pulled over. Stop the car, and remain seated. Like Jukka said, now would be a good point to pull out the vehicle registration paper (always have it in the car!) and your driver's license. If you don't have those, it's ok, you can later go to a police station to show them, but as it is a hassle just have them with you when you drive. Meanwhile, a police officer will walk over to the driver side window, you open the window, and the police will tell you the reason for them pulling you over and what they want to see/do. Usual reasons for routine checks are breathalyzer checks, checking tires, and checking if you are wearing a seatbelt (although I have never had this checked, so I don't know if they pull all over, or just the one that aren't wearing one). Also, as Pursuivant pointed out, speed traps are also set up in a similar manner, but then only the ones speeding are pulled over.

If you have a police car behind you, and it has a (non-flashing) red light on, it means that you should pull over. Do it at the next safe place. Otherwise, it's the same as at a routine check, stay in the car and wait for the police to walk over.

You sound like a paranoid... well... truth be told... idiot. Really. Or, alternatively, somebody that is doing something that you shouldn't be doing (I do wonder what you mean by "Freeman" way of life that is in conflict with the law... you mean Freeman like this?). If either case doesn't apply, then stop, because everybody else is going to think one or the other. Most people here are not going to have any personal contact with a police other than in routine traffic stops (and these don't happen often and are quite often announced beforehand) or being pulled over for speeding (or some other traffic violation), or having a way too loud party late at night. Even when you are a victim of a (minor) crime (car broken into or credit card scanned) you might not actually meet a police officer but instead do all the necessary work via phone or mailing some forms.

And i got one of my neighbours constantly taking pictures of me

You might want to wear a tinfoil hat, I hear it helps.

[Upphew]

And i got one of my neighbours constantly taking pictures of me

You might want to wear a tinfoil hat, I hear it helps.

Or the hat is the reason for photos

Seriously: is the neighbour taking pictures from you or you just happen to be behind bird feeder..? If you are in public then there is basically nothing you can do to avoid being pictured. On the other hand publishing said picture...

[EP]

Paranoid/idiot/suspicious.. perhaps.

Not just perhaps, but very much so. Could you tell me what language was used in this NEVER question a police conversation?

[EP]

Heavens, our police has improved language skills very quickly. It seems we have had some efficient courses lately... "Question" used as a verb – I must applaud that "police".