---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Avoid being seized by the police. The…"
description: "\"Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your friends. Don't tell them anything.\" — Hunter S. Thompson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg"
---

#  Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your…

![“Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your friends. Don't tell them anything.” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg)

> “Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your friends. Don't tell them anything.”

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Mistrust authorities and protect yourself by remaining silent when confronted.

**In simple terms:** Don’t trust police; stay silent.

Key Takeaway

Guard your words around law enforcement.

Themes

caution authority self‑preservation skepticism

Mood

defensive skeptical

Type

advice warning

When to use this quote

- traffic stops
- interrogations
- legal encounters
- protest situations

Key Concepts

civil liberties law enforcement personal safety

Questions to Reflect On

- What are the risks of staying silent?
- When is it safe to speak?

A Different Perspective

Silence can be misinterpreted and may worsen suspicion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) [Cops Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops-friends-4672107/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Police Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-cops-1357018/) [Seized Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seized-police-4672108/)

## Related quotes

> [There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/there-s-one-overriding-issue-namely-that-we-live-in-a-police-state-so/)

[Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/)

> [I've seen villages in South America with no police whatever. Then the cops would arrive, then the sanitary inspectors, and before you know it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-ve-seen-villages-in-south-america-with-no-police-whatever-then-the/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

> [I know there were many good policemen who died doing their duty. Some of the cops were even friends of ours. But a cop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-know-there-were-many-good-policemen-who-died-doing-their-duty-some/)

[Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/)

> [They say no one knows if we all see red the same way. Except traffic cops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-fitzsimmons/they-say-no-one-knows-if-we-all-see-red-the-same-way-except-traffic/)

[Greg Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-fitzsimmons/)

> [Most people have no idea what cops really do. They think cops give you a speeding ticket. They don't see the cops associating with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-valentine/most-people-have-no-idea-what-cops-really-do-they-think-cops-give-you/)

[Douglas Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-valentine/)

> [I've never been a cop hater. You know, when I was breaking the law, the cops were the opponent. I just thought I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-never-been-a-cop-hater-you-know-when-i-was-breaking-the-law-the/)

[Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/)

> [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/)

[Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/)

> [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [There's good and evil going on. We have cops. We have robbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/there-s-good-and-evil-going-on-we-have-cops-we-have-robbers/)

[Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/)

> [The fans are bad everywhere you go, with language, and with behavior. You can't put enough cops in the stands, but you ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chaney/the-fans-are-bad-everywhere-you-go-with-language-and-with-behavior/)

[John Chaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chaney/)

> [I've definitely run from the cops in the New York City subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-ve-definitely-run-from-the-cops-in-the-new-york-city-subways/)

[Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/)

> [The NYPD was ubiquitous. They were always around Malcolm X. Whenever Malcolm spoke, there would be one or two dozen cops all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/the-nypd-was-ubiquitous-they-were-always-around-malcolm-x-whenever/)

[Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/)

> [I remember my first run-in with cops. It took me really getting to hang, well after that, with cops who were cool, and realizing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-remember-my-first-run-in-with-cops-it-took-me-really-getting-to/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [The cops picked me up for attempted murder. I can still see the detectives, licking their chops. Thought they had me. Two weeks later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-white/the-cops-picked-me-up-for-attempted-murder-i-can-still-see-the/)

[Barry White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-white/)

## More by Hunter S. Thompson

> [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood &amp; no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

[Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

## More Cop quotes

> [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/)

[Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/)

> [I've framed houses, worked on an asphalt crew, I was a cop, a lifeguard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-griffin/i-ve-framed-houses-worked-on-an-asphalt-crew-i-was-a-cop-a-lifeguard/)

[Forrest Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-griffin/)

> [I never write Metropolis for seven cents because I can get the same price for city. I never write policeman because I can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-write-metropolis-for-seven-cents-because-i-can-get-the-same/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

> [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/)

[Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/)

> [I will be known forever as the Puppy who chased a cutpurse and caught fish garbage instead. My descendants will pretend I'm not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-will-be-known-forever-as-the-puppy-who-chased-a-cutpurse-and-caught/)

[Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/)

> [I'm very proud of being Italian-American, but people don't realize that the mafia is just this aberration. The real community is built on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chazz-palminteri/i-m-very-proud-of-being-italian-american-but-people-don-t-realize/)

[Chazz Palminteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chazz-palminteri/)

> [Rita folded her arms around herself and peered up at me. “If you’d asked me three months ago I’d have said you were hitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/rita-folded-her-arms-around-herself-and-peered-up-at-me-if-you-d/)

[C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/)

> [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/)

[Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/)

> [It's sad that women characters have lost so much ground in popular movies. Didn't 'Thelma and Louise' prove that women want to see women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-quivers/it-s-sad-that-women-characters-have-lost-so-much-ground-in-popular/)

[Robin Quivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-quivers/)

> [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/)

[Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/)

> [I roll with Ladies just as tropic as the chronic in my pocket Cop it, Crush it, Roll it, Spark it, and mix it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-banks/i-roll-with-ladies-just-as-tropic-as-the-chronic-in-my-pocket-cop-it/)

[Lloyd Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-banks/)

> [Vadalism: beautiful as a rock in a cop's face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/vadalism-beautiful-as-a-rock-in-a-cop-s-face/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

[Browse all 790 Cop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your friends. Don't tell them anything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hunter S. Thompson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cops-are-not-your-friends-don-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cop"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cops-are-not-your-friends-don-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/hunter-s-thompson-278_cop_avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cop_1363324.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Avoid being seized by the police. The cops are not your friends. Don't tell them anything.” — Hunter S. Thompson",
                "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": "Hunter S. Thompson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Avoid being seized by the police....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cops-are-not-your-friends-don-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/avoid-being-seized-by-the-police-the-cops-are-not-your-friends-don-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
