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Dealing with Law Enforcement Print E-mail
Tuesday, 27 December 2005
 

This excellent post from Antwawn is good enough to be an article in it's own right. Check out the forums for good advice on dealing with onlookers, the law, what trespassing is, and other experience gained by traceurs.

Any avid traceur is no doubt aware of public suspicion about what we're doing. I haven't been practicing for more than a month, but as my fellow local traceurs are experiencing as we try out new locations, law enforcement is often dubious as to our activities.

Here's a few tips to aid in making sure law enforcement doesn't have anything to worry about:

1.) Make sure you aren't breaking any laws/regulations, such as:
       a. Trespassing-get permission from the property owner if you're practicing on private property
       b. Vandalizing-don't break stuff as you PK
       c. Running from the police-don't run from the police, they can't do a damn thing unless you've done something wrong
       d. Don't break any other laws either

2.) If police are near, do not do anything overly reckless/daring, like a gainer off of a high ledge, or a large jump. Just do some harmless vaults until they go away.

3.) If the police ask you to move on, don't argue with them. You can (nicely) ask them if they have any ideas for places that may be more allowing of parkour. The police aren't assholes, quite the contrary-they'll probably help you out, that's what they're supposed to be for anyway.

Talking to police/security gaurds, when they confront you (this stuff works, I did it today when we were stopped by a police officer.)
       A.) Be respectful and civil, and they'll treat you just as nicely
       B.) Do NOT act pissed off in any way, because if you're understanding that the guy or gal is just trying to do their job, they'll understand that you're just trying to have some goodnatured exercise and fun.
       C.) Answer their questions, comply with any reasonable demands, (i.e. the officer asked to see my license today)
       D.) Explain what parkour is, what the goal is, and say it in terms they can understand ( I said it was like running with urban obstacle coursing, overcoming barriers in your path). This way they're not perplexed as to what the hell you guys are doing, and they can see you're not wrecklessly endangering yourselves.


Keeping in mind that the officer is doing his job, and that you haven't done anything wrong, the only way you're gonna have any problem is if you cause it with you attitude or something.

I have a question also, does anyone know of any more laws that might apply to parkour?

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1. 12-28-2005 18:24

Thanks, this is helpful, i don't feel like gettin hauld off in the back of a cop car. §
CQuence

2. 12-28-2005 18:26

Thanks, this is helpful, i don't feel like gettin hauld off in the back of a cop car. §
CQuence

3. 03-12-2006 18:00

the problem with america and the fat children is we arnt allowed to do anymore physical activity, i just saw a sign saying "no parkour exercise"
shocker5304

4. 10-11-2006 00:07

If a normal person walked by that sign, they'd have no clue what it would be trying to say. "Parkour? The heck is that? Isn't that that new drug with the pills and the syringe? Oh yeah, that's right."
Excieo

5. 02-16-2007 20:09

So I got this new grapling hook from Army Srp. and I new this great place for parkour near my house. So I tried it out, it was cool well as cool as grapling hooks go. But little did I know there was a Chines buffet under me!! so they came out and yelled at me and called the cops lol..... they thought I was robbing the place hahahaha! so I never went back.
Rock

6. 09-04-2007 20:59

Watch out for disorderly conduct laws. If you try pulling an attitude ("We're not breaking any laws!"). In many states the disorderly conduct laws are more of a catch all for just that situation. 
 
Here in Minnesota the law defines three categories of disorderly conduct: 1) profanity in public, 2) using language that "arouses wit or anger", and 3) acting in an otherwise disorderly manner. If you're doing something that gets the cops called, they can pull you in on #3 right off the top. If you start arguing, you could probably get pulled for #2. If you happen to swear and you've done a good job of pissing off the cops, they can pull you for #1. The more confrontational you are, the more likely you get arrested. 
 
Follow the good advice here, be respectful and compliant. Your precious manhood may feel threatened but in the end you will be better off. The last thing we need is for Parkour to get the reputation skateboarding has. 
 
Reach and overcome.
geeknerd

7. 01-04-2009 10:22

Yeah but none of you live in joplin, missouri. the cops are all asses and will get you for anything. a friend and i were walking one night after midnight, we are both over 18, and saw some cops that pulled someone over and we were walking past and they told us we need to go home. these cops just like being dicks.

8. 01-06-2009 16:30

Man thtas never happened to me yet. i sometimes (rarley though) go to the city and freerun. i try not to do anything near the cops, but i just get so tempted! thx for the article man!!! i bet its gonna help me a lot in the future! :) :) :)

9. 03-08-2009 20:03

Usually the cops here(Roanoke VA) are pretty nice.  
me and my friend were walking at like 1 am and we're both 16 and a cop pulled us over and he asked what we were doing we told him walking to our friends he just called my mom to make sure we werent run-aways. he said there was no curfew which there is(12 am) 
:grin

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