--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the cops are trying to arrest you…" description: "\"When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.\" — Charles Barkley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png" --- # When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back… ![“When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.” quote by Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png) > “When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.” [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resisting arrest often escalates conflict, leading to negative outcomes for all involved. **In simple terms:** Fighting back when arrested makes things worse. Key Takeaway Avoid confrontation and cooperate with authorities. Themes law enforcement conflict self‑control consequences Mood cautious pragmatic Type advice reflective When to use this quote - traffic stops - public altercations - legal encounters - personal disputes Key Concepts de‑escalation personal safety Questions to Reflect On - What are safer ways to handle police encounters? - How can one protect rights without escalating tension? A Different Perspective Sometimes cooperation may not guarantee fair treatment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) ## Related quotes > [Initially charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest I was held for 36 hours, was beaten by cops and made to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-blair/initially-charged-with-assaulting-a-police-officer-and-resisting/) [John Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-blair/) > [The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [We need the cops, especially in the black community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-need-the-cops-especially-in-the-black-community/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I respect and admire what cops do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-respect-and-admire-what-cops-do/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [You can't arrest me, I'm a rockstar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-arrest-me-i-m-a-rockstar/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The servants of a queen, even a queen under arrest, were not usually supposed to be physically higher than she was. Did the women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-clark/the-servants-of-a-queen-even-a-queen-under-arrest-were-not-usually/) Nicola Clark > [“cops fear false arrest like they fear the plague. If they arrest you and can’t make it stick, a lot of people are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-hudson/cops-fear-false-arrest-like-they-fear-the-plague-if-they-arrest-you/) [Jeffery Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-hudson/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“The real purpose of the opposition is to minimize the amount of money the ruling party will have stolen from the people at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-real-purpose-of-the-opposition-is-to-minimize-the-amount-of-money/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [P=l-o=under arrest for ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-simmons/p-l-o-under-arrest-for-ever/) [Angela Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-simmons/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I am here to arrest your manservant. The one named Bugg.’ ‘Oh, now really, his cooking isn’t that bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/i-am-here-to-arrest-your-manservant-the-one-named-bugg-oh-now-really/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [They would almost throw the cops in jail when they tried to arrest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/they-would-almost-throw-the-cops-in-jail-when-they-tried-to-arrest-me/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [“Do not fear ARREST. Why? Because, there is REST at the end of each AR"REST"; either in jail or in the grave. The wisest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opoong-amankwaa/do-not-fear-arrest-why-because-there-is-rest-at-the-end-of-each-ar/) Opoong Amankwaa ## More by Charles Barkley > [What bothers me the most are the Republicans and the Democrats: they act like little kids. They are lying to real people out here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/what-bothers-me-the-most-are-the-republicans-and-the-democrats-they/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I think people got more common sense than people give 'em credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-think-people-got-more-common-sense-than-people-give-em-credit-for/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I played against him (Wilkins) in college. Getting nominated with him, that's pretty cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-played-against-him-wilkins-in-college-getting-nominated-with-him/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everybody in the world has an ego. The only difference between us is we have a reason to have an ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everybody-in-the-world-has-an-ego-the-only-difference-between-us-is/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [There's no medical term for what I've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/there-s-no-medical-term-for-what-i-ve-got/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [One of the reasons I don't trust the media is you can't have a double standard for guys you like and dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/one-of-the-reasons-i-don-t-trust-the-media-is-you-can-t-have-a-double/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm no role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-no-role-model/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I just wish all these young black kids would realize how significant it is to stop acting a fool out there, killing each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-just-wish-all-these-young-black-kids-would-realize-how-significant/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I wish the American public wasn't so stupid if they realized that half the people on television make a living just to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-wish-the-american-public-wasn-t-so-stupid-if-they-realized-that/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If a guy drew a charge on me, I tried to kick him in the balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-a-guy-drew-a-charge-on-me-i-tried-to-kick-him-in-the-balls/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Golf is fun - until you hit somebody in the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/golf-is-fun-until-you-hit-somebody-in-the-head/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If you get a chance to play with great players, that's half the battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-you-get-a-chance-to-play-with-great-players-that-s-half-the-battle/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everything gets blamed on the Clintons, every single thing in this world. I think Bill Clinton shot JFK, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everything-gets-blamed-on-the-clintons-every-single-thing-in-this/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-not-a-role-model-just-because-i-dunk-a-basketball-doesn-t-mean-i/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [We, as black people, we have a lot of crooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-as-black-people-we-have-a-lot-of-crooks/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) [Explore all 263 Charles Barkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## More Arrest quotes > [“Do not fear ARREST. Why? Because, there is REST at the end of each AR"REST"; either in jail or in the grave. The wisest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opoong-amankwaa/do-not-fear-arrest-why-because-there-is-rest-at-the-end-of-each-ar/) Opoong Amankwaa > [They would almost throw the cops in jail when they tried to arrest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/they-would-almost-throw-the-cops-in-jail-when-they-tried-to-arrest-me/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [“I am here to arrest your manservant. The one named Bugg.’ ‘Oh, now really, his cooking isn’t that bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/i-am-here-to-arrest-your-manservant-the-one-named-bugg-oh-now-really/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [P=l-o=under arrest for ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-simmons/p-l-o-under-arrest-for-ever/) [Angela Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-simmons/) > [“The real purpose of the opposition is to minimize the amount of money the ruling party will have stolen from the people at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-real-purpose-of-the-opposition-is-to-minimize-the-amount-of-money/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“cops fear false arrest like they fear the plague. If they arrest you and can’t make it stick, a lot of people are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-hudson/cops-fear-false-arrest-like-they-fear-the-plague-if-they-arrest-you/) [Jeffery Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-hudson/) > [“The servants of a queen, even a queen under arrest, were not usually supposed to be physically higher than she was. Did the women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-clark/the-servants-of-a-queen-even-a-queen-under-arrest-were-not-usually/) Nicola Clark > [You can't arrest me, I'm a rockstar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-arrest-me-i-m-a-rockstar/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [During the period of house arrest, I had an electronic manacle around my leg for 24 hours a day, and for someone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/during-the-period-of-house-arrest-i-had-an-electronic-manacle-around/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-unjust-law-is-itself-a-species-of-violence-arrest-for-its-breach/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I preach in countries if I say 'Jesus Christ is the only way, the truth and the life,' they'll arrest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/i-preach-in-countries-if-i-say-jesus-christ-is-the-only-way-the-truth/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [It is made the duty of every Commanding Officer in the Department, to arrest and send to these Headquarters, under guard, every officer or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-made-the-duty-of-every-commanding-officer-in-the-department-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 116 Arrest quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Barkley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-if-you-fight-back-things-go/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arrest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-if-you-fight-back-things-go/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/charles-barkley-1266_arrest_when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-i_730224.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the cops are trying to arrest you, if you fight back, things go wrong.” — Charles Barkley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Barkley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When the cops are trying to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-if-you-fight-back-things-go/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/when-the-cops-are-trying-to-arrest-you-if-you-fight-back-things-go/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```