The Auburn University Libertarians are presenting "Busted!: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters" Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., in the Haley Center room 1203.
"We decided to do this event because we felt the vast majority of students are not adequately informed of their rights," said Briggs Armstrong, a senior in accounting and president of the organization. "This lack of information can land even the most innocent student in terrible legal trouble."
The event will screen a video released by the American Civil Liberties Union, which dramatizes what to do and not do during a police encounter.
Following the event, James Duane, a professor of law, will deliver a lecture based on his experiences as a former defense attorney.
An Auburn student will also share his experience with asserting his rights during a police encounter last year. Drew Owens, a freshman in chemical engineering and Web master of the organization, thinks students have an incomplete knowledge of legal matters.
"Many students do not know adequate information about certain civil rights guaranteed under the fourth and fifth amendments as well as issues concerning the Miranda laws," Owens said.
For those who do not know, libertarianism is a political philosophy which promotes the freedom of action of all individuals unless those rights infringe on the freedom of others.
Armstrong thinks police have a distinct advantage over the uninformed.
"For example, not many students know that it is illegal to lie to a cop, but it is perfectly legal and commonplace for officers to lie to citizens," Armstrong said.
A part of their pursuit of individual freedom is to educate students on their rights.
"We hope to educate our fellow students so that the vast information gap between officers and citizens will be drastically reduced," Armstrong said.
Part of this education will include when the police are allowed to search someone, explaining the fourth amendment and when it is necessary to show ID.
For more information go to www.auburn.edu/libertarians or www.facebook.com/libertarians.
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