Being stopped by police is a stressful experience that can go bad quickly. BBB helps explain what the law requires and offers strategies for handling police encounters.  To be clear, the burden of de-escalation does not fall on citizens — it falls on police officers. However, you cannot assume officers will behave in a way that protects your safety or that they will respect your rights.. You may be able to reduce risk to yourself by staying calm and not exhibiting hostility toward the officers. The truth is that there are situations where people have done everything they could to put an officer at ease, yet still ended up injured or killed.  If you feel your rights have been violated or you have been injured, here are some legal resources you can explore.