Published on: 22 November 2018
Last Updated on: 19 July 2019
With the opioid epidemic at an all-time high, law enforcement agencies are cracking down on drug possession offenses all over the country. Arizona is no different. In Arizona, if you are caught with drugs on your person or in your car, you can expect to face some serious legal repercussions. This also applies to anyone caught with drug paraphernalia in their possession. Depending on the type and amount drug, you could be facing some serious fines and jail time.
Arizona takes drug possession very seriously. The bottom line is if you are caught under the influence of drugs or with drugs in your possession, you will probably be charged with a felony. In order to be found guilty of drug possession in Arizona, the state must prove the following:
You knowingly possess the drugs or paraphernalia- It’s not enough that you are found in a house where drugs are found. There has to be some connection between you and the drugs in order for you to be found guilty.
The substance was, in fact, an illegal or illicit drug – Just because you think something is a drug, doesn’t mean you’ll be convicted of the crime of possession. If you have a bag of oregano, you can’t get charged with possession of marijuana – even if you bought it thinking it was marijuana.
Arizona also breaks drugs down into different categories. Drugs can be defined as any of the following:
Marijuana – This category includes synthetic marijuana, edibles, or regular marijuana.
Peyote
Prescription drugs – This would include anti-anxiety drugs and other drugs that are legally prescribed. To be charged with drug possession, you would have to be found with drugs that you personally don’t have a prescription for.
Dangerous drugs –this would include methamphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, etc.
Narcotics – Pain medication and other opiates.
Vapors – This would include inhalants.
What are the Different Penalties for Drug Possession?
If you are busted with drugs in Arizona, you are going to face some serious consequences. The severity of the penalty will depend on how much of the drug you have in your possession. If you have just enough for personal use, it will more than likely qualify as simple possession. If, however, you have more than you could be expect to use yourself, you’ll be charged with possession and intent to distribute.
In Arizona, you will not be sent to prison for your first or second offense of drug possession. You will be sent to mandatory treatment and will be handed some pretty stiff fines. Additionally, you may be given a suspended sentence or probation for your first or second offense. Arizona will not impose a prison sentence until your third offense.
Defenses to Drug Possession:
As with most crimes, there are defenses to drug possession in Arizona. Your criminal defense attorney will raise any and all of the applicable defenses in your trial. He will also use these defenses as a bargaining tool when he tries to negotiate a reduced charge or sentence with the prosecutor. The available defenses to drug possession in Arizona include:
Lack of Knowledge – If you truly had no idea the drugs were in your possession, you may be found not guilty. Examples of this are when third parties placed drugs in your car or purse. It is very difficult to prove lack of knowledge.
Illegal Search – If the police had no reasonable basis for conducting the search in the first place, the charges will have to be dismissed.
Religious Use – This defense is rarely successful. In order to use this defense, you have to prove that you were using the drugs as part of a religious (not merely a cultural) ritual.
Medical Marijuana Card – If you are caught with less than 2.5 ounces of marijuana and are a legitimate marijuana patient, you may raise this defense. You will still have to prove that the drugs came from a genuine and legal dispensary.
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Do you have what it takes to be a police officer? You might be ready to jump into the fray and do your best to keep the peace, but you must also be able to maintain the strenuous physical and mental demands required.
If you are ready to pursue a career in law enforcement, then you’re in the right place!
From things to keep an eye on to tips to hit the ground running once you are accepted into the department, we have everything you need to know about being a police officer.
10 Lucrative Ways Of Making Law Enforcement Career Successful
1. Be aware of mental health stressors
Law enforcement is not a job that is easily left behind once you make it home for the night. The things that you might see and might be forced to do could weigh heavily on your mind.
What happens if you have to defend yourself with lethal force in the face of serious potential harm?
For many people, the consequences of living with the memory of seriously harming or killing someone, regardless of whether the action was justified, are significant – and that’s just one aspect of the job that can impact mental health.
In fact, according to a 2018 study, police officers are more likely to die via suicide than they are to die while working. Not only that but also their rates of suicide are higher than in the general population. Despite this information, police officers remain stoic about their mental health stressors.
While it is understandable to be cautious about discussing your mental health, it is important to pay attention to how you’re feeling.
When you experience a stressor of some kind, seek professional help in processing the emotions you might face as a result.
2. Focus on your physical fitness
Police officers must be ready for any situation, and this includes circumstances that test their physical endurance. It is imperative that you can hold your own against other people in a physical altercation.
Taking some time to focus on your physical fitness before you become a police officer is a critical element of a long and successful career.
There are a variety of exercises you should do to prepare to be a law enforcement officer and to maintain your fitness level once you are part of the force.
One of the most important of these is running, which is often an explicit requirement of the physical ability test (PAT) that must be passed before you can enter the police academy.
You should be able to run at least a mile and a half, though the specific distance varies from precinct to precinct. Other common exercises include push-ups, sit-ups, and agility.
In addition to all of the above, officers must be prepared to climb over fences or other barriers when chasing a suspect. This portion of the PAT is known as the ‘barrier surmount’ and requires you to sprint 50 feet before climbing over a barrier at least six feet in height.
The best way to prepare is to practice on an actual six-foot wall. The goal is to pull yourself up to the top of the wall and swing the rest of your body over as smoothly as possible.
Plenty of push-ups to strengthen your arms and sit-ups to strengthen your core are recommended as you train your body to overcome barriers easily.
3. Get the right education
You might not think that a college education is a requirement for police work, but it comes in surprisingly handy.
If you acquire knowledge of the important moments in the history of law enforcement, then you will have a better understanding of the inner workings of the system.
Once you understand how the system works, you can work within it to effect justice. This makes you a better police officer.
With the above in mind, why not consider a Bachelor of Policing? Wilfrid Laurier University created its program in conjunction with actual police officers to ensure that the content is relevant to the job requirements. This kind of program can be an incredible boon for experienced and new police officers alike, especially those determined to make a positive difference in their communities.
4. Focus on ethics and integrity
Some police officers consider their weapons to be their most effective tools of the trade, but your attitude is far more important.
When you focus on ethics and integrity, you lead by example and maintain a ‘clean’ reputation in your personal and professional endeavors. Ethics will help you do the right thing even if you could get away with doing less, while integrity will ensure that your ethics are part of your everyday life.
When you decide to pursue a career in law enforcement, you are putting yourself in a position of authority over others. Make sure that you are worthy of this responsibility.
5. Assume that you are being recorded
In the past, law enforcement officers have been able to do their jobs without too much of a public spectacle. This is rapidly changing as technology becomes a more common part of life.
A decade ago, it would have been very difficult to record a crystal-clear video with excellent audio and visual quality on your phone. Today, however, this is something that even cheaper phones on the market can do.
Assume that you are always being recorded whether you see a camera or not. Choose your words and actions carefully, and make sure that you are sticking to the letter of the law and behaving in a manner that wouldn’t embarrass you in a court of law. This is another area where ethics and integrity are important, as both characteristics can help guide your behavior and ensure that it is beyond question.
Whether you are in the heat of a particularly difficult moment or are clear-headed and calm, your every move might be recorded in HD and used against you in the court of public opinion. Do your best to be a shining example of a law enforcement officer.
6. Take a financial planning class
Police work isn’t a job that everyone continues to do into old age. It is an incredibly demanding one, both physically and mentally, and the struggles and skirmishes can take their toll over time.
This means that you can really only count on a steady income while you are actively working, which might not be nearly as long as you would in other careers. Many police officers have retired only to begin new careers because they didn’t save their money while they were earning it or understand how to retain it once their career ended.
A financial planning class can help ensure that this reality is not one you face. Register for a college-level personal finance class to learn how to manage your wealth, including how to obtain and retain it. This will give you the best chance possible to enjoy your twilight years after a hard career as a law enforcement officer.
7. Value your relationships outside of work
Trauma and stress can build relationships quickly, but they can also destroy them just as easily as they were formed. Many police officers form fast friendships with their fellow officers and serve as moral support during the ups and downs of their careers.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, and it is a natural consequence of the stressful nature of the job. However, sometimes these friendships come at the price of personal relationships outside of work.
The same experiences that build in-work friendships can easily destroy out-of-work friendships if you aren’t careful.
Consider maintaining your friendships and relationships beyond your workplace for a few different reasons. First, you should be able to live your life without talking about work all the time. It is an important job, but you don’t want it to define your personality.
You might also find that being able to disconnect from the realities of your day job can be significantly healing. In order to retain your hobbies and life outside of the police force, you should take time to maintain your relationships that didn’t form in the office.
You can have friends on the force, of course. This tip isn’t meant to dissuade you of that. It is only to emphasize that life outside of the precinct deserves just as much attention.
8. Spend time with your family
In a similar vein to tip number seven, maintain your familial relationships even when you are stressed about work. Law enforcement is a somewhat unique career in that you cannot easily put it behind you when your shift ends, especially if you spend a lot of time working on call.
However, you must make an effort to value your family just as much as you do your profession and remember that once you have lost time with them, you won’t get it back. You will never be able to relive your child’s first birthday or graduation day – you only get one shot at those.
Be honest with your partner about your responsibilities and listen when they tell you what you stand to miss out on.
Time can fly by when you are busy, and you might not realize that so many milestones are passing you by. Try to be there for the important stuff – those are the moments that you’ll remember when you’re retired and easing into your golden years.
9. Act honorably both on and off duty
It is incredibly important to live your ethics both at work and outside of it. As a police officer, your reputation must be stellar. If it isn’t, you could lose a lot of trust and respect from not only your colleagues but also members of the public.
After all, if you aren’t taking care of your relationships and loved ones outside of work, why should they trust you to put other people first while you are on duty?
Not every relationship is destined to last, and, of course, you shouldn’t be expected to be perfect. Everyone is human.
However, when you can behave honorably to your loved ones, take it. Go out of your way to do the right thing even when you aren’t being paid to do so. Many law enforcement officers have had their dirty laundry dragged in public, and it’s not a pleasant experience for anyone involved.
Certain issues could easily ruin your professional life and career if they become public. Remember that public trust is the most important tool that police officers have to keep the peace and maintain their authority. Once you break it, your job becomes a lot more difficult and a lot less effective.
10. Be humble
Being a law enforcement officer is an important job with quite a bit of responsibility. It is easy to let that power go to your head and think of yourself as better than the people around you.
Do not become one of those police officers. Even though you will be held to higher standards than many civilians, you are not inherently more important than any of them. Do your job just like everyone else.
Be a benefit to the community by being approachable, non-judgmental, and even considerate of the people around you. It costs you nothing to be polite and treat everyone with dignity and respect, but you stand to lose quite a bit if you do the opposite. For your reputation and career, not to mention the well-being of the people around you, stay humble.
Are you ready to pursue a career as a law enforcement officer? The job isn’t easy, but it is an incredibly important one to the fabric of society.
Your choices in the line of duty have the potential to affect entire communities, so take your time to learn everything you can before you start working. Keep our tips in mind as you embark upon this journey and good luck in your travels!
Additionals:
What To Look For When Researching A Criminal Lawyer?
Picking the Right Law Firm for You and Your Family
The Basics of Criminal Appeals Law
Researchers have concluded that living alone, being socially isolated, and feeling lonely can pose significant health risks, particularly in older adults. Although the terms living alone, social isolation and loneliness are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Specifically, living alone and being socially isolated are objective determinations either that a person lives solo, or has few relationships or infrequent social contact. According to the Administration on Aging (a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), nearly one-third (28%) of non-institutionalized adults 65 and older – 13.8 million people – live alone. Despite living alone, however, these adults may or may not be included within the category of social isolation depending on the nature of their relationships and the frequency of their social contacts.
In contrast, loneliness is determined on a subjective basis. Loneliness is based on a person’s individual feelings of disconnectedness, isolation, or not belonging. Said differently, loneliness arises because of the divergence between a person’s desired level of social connection and the actual level of connection. To be clear, a person living alone may not necessarily feel lonely, whereas someone living with a number of other people may still experience loneliness.
Risk Factors
A recent survey of older adults determined that 43% feel lonely on a regular basis. More concerning is that among those who report feeling lonely, there is a 45% increased mortality risk. Steve Cole, the director of the Social Genomics Core Laboratory at UCLA, explains: “Loneliness acts as a fertilizer for other diseases. The biology of loneliness can accelerate the buildup of plaque in the arteries, help cancer cells grow and spread, and promote inflammation in the brain leading to Alzheimer’s disease. Loneliness promotes several different types of wear and tear on the body.”
Research has established links between living alone, social isolation, and loneliness to a variety of physical and mental conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis – representing cumulative evidence from 148 studies involving over 300,000 participants – determined that greater social connection is associated with a 50% reduced risk of early death. A second meta-analysis by the same researchers – representing cumulative evidence from 70 studies involving more than 3.4 million participants followed for an average of 7 years – similarly concluded that living alone (objective determination), social isolation (objective) and loneliness (subjective) each had a significant effect on the risk of mortality. Specifically, the analysis concluded that the likelihood of death increased a statistically significant 26% for loneliness, 29% for social isolation, and 32% for living alone. To put those risks in context, the researchers determined that the magnitude of risk is comparable to – and in some cases even exceeds – other well-accepted risk factors such as smoking (up to 15 cigarettes a day), obesity, lack of physical exercise and high blood pressure.
Loneliness has also been associated with increased emergency admissions to a hospital, longer length of stays, and delayed discharges. In fact, a November 2017 study concluded that the lack of social contacts among older adults is associated with an estimated annual increase in Medicare spending of $6.7 billion.
One Can Be the Loneliest Number, But it Doesn’t Have to Be
Greg Bishop, an attorney in Park City, suggests that retirement is a great opportunity to develop the types of connections that can prevent or alleviate the health consequences of living alone, being socially isolated, or feeling lonely. He notes that although there is a general consensus about the potential problem areas, the solutions are more elusive. He explains that although living alone and being socially isolated are determined objectively, the underlying causes are overtly personal. For example, living alone may be the result of the death of a partner or because of a recent divorce, whereas being socially isolated may arise from relocating after retirement or from the children moving away. Given that the underlying causes vary drastically, the solutions for living alone, being socially isolated, and feeling lonely will also differ. In short, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to these issues.
That said, older adults will likely benefit from the following suggestions:
Proactively stay involved in the lives of your family and friends. Find meaningful ways to connect with them via video chats, phone calls, text messages and letters
Establish new social connections – go to the gym, take a dance class, learn to play chess, or join a book club
Establish a more meaningful relationship with a church or social groups
Look for opportunities to help and serve others. Fred Rogers – the television icon from Mister Roger’s Neighborhood – shared that when he was a boy and saw scary things on the television news, his mother told him to “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” While that advice comforted him as a child, perhaps better advice for older adults dealing with social isolation and loneliness would be to “Look to be a helper. There are always people who are in need of help.”
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Ridesharing is revolutionizing the way people get from point A to point B. Whether it's just to have a safe ride home after a night of drinking or a great alternative to purchasing your own vehicle, ridesharing is gaining in popularity. With more people getting rides than ever before, more car accidents are involving ridesharing vehicles. Understanding what to do if you're involved in a ridesharing accident can help to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve for the injuries that you sustained.
Check For Injuries And Call The Police
The first steps that you want to take after being involved in any sort of car accident are to check for injuries and call the police. You should start by checking yourself and other passengers. Then, check the other parties involved to see if they have any injuries. If anyone has severe injuries, you should be contacting emergency medical assistance immediately. If you have slight injuries, it's still a good idea to get them checked out by a medical professional at the accident scene. This way, your injuries are documented right from the start.
Once everyone is checked for injuries, it's time to call the police. The officer will be responsible for creating an accident report. While you may not think that a report matters since it's not your vehicle that was involved, think again. Any ridesharing accident lawyer will tell you that having access to the accident report is a vital part of your claims case. Even if the drivers involved don't want to contact the police, you should do so yourself to ensure your future safety is looked after.
Take Pictures And Collect Information
West Coast Trial Lawyers will advise you to take pictures to document the scene. While you may have no stake in the property that was damaged, you should still have photo evidence of it. This can come back into play later when determining who was at fault for the injury. This way, your Uber accident attorney knows who to go after to seek compensation for the injuries that you sustained.
Talk with witnesses and gather their contact information. Witnesses tend to leave the scene of the accident once an officer arrives. Therefore, speaking with them before the police arrive can ensure that you get the information you need before they leave. The more witnesses you have, the better chance your ridesharing accident lawyer will have at proving your case for injury compensation.
You'll also want to get the information about the people involved in the accident. Start by collecting the contact and insurance information of your ridesharing driver. Then, get the same information from the other parties involved. If the other driver had passengers with them, then get their information to. Be sure to write down or take pictures of the license plates of the vehicles that were involved.
Understand What Insurance Pays For Your Injuries
One of the most confusing parts of being involved in a ridesharing accident is understanding what the insurance company pays for the damages and injuries that were a result of the accident. Does Uber's insurance cover the problems or does the Uber driver's personal insurance cover your injuries? Let's take a look at the different scenarios below.
Hit By A Ridesharing Driver
If you're in a vehicle accident that is determined to be the fault of the other driver who was in a ridesharing vehicle, the other driver's insurance is responsible for paying for your injuries. Keep in mind that each driver's insurance policy will have coverage limitations. If your compensation amount is above the coverage limit for the ridesharing driver's personal insurance, the ridesharing company's insurance will cover the excess if the driver was working at the time of the accident.
Your Ridesharing Driver Is At Fault For Your Injuries
When the ridesharing driver that you're riding with is determined to be at fault for your injuries, their personal insurance will cover your compensation. In the event that your compensation amount is over what the driver's personal insurance will cover, the ridesharing company will cover the excess if the driver was working at the time of the accident.
What Is Considered Working By Rideshare Companies?
West Coast Trial Lawyers will inform you that the ridesharing company will only pay if the driver was determined to be working. If the driver was not determined to be working at the time of the accident, the ridesharing company's insurance will not cover the excess of the compensation you get. Rather, you'll have to go after the driver of the vehicle personally for anything their insurance won't cover.
Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lift have their own technology that allows them to communicate with their drivers. Drivers are required to update their status on their mobile device to tell the company what they're doing. As long as the ridesharing driver was logged into their application, the ridesharing company's insurance policy will kick in. However, there are some restrictions to their coverage limits.
If the driver is logged into their application but has a status of waiting for a ride request, the ridesharing company's insurance has limited coverage. For Uber specifically, the limited liability coverage is 25,000 dollars for property damage and 50,000 dollars per injury up to a 100,000 dollar limit. In most events, a combination of the driver's personal insurance and the ridesharing company's insurance will take care of the compensation for your injuries. However, if they don't, your Uber accident attorney will take up suit against the ridesharing driver personally for the excess.
In cases where the ridesharing driver has a status of being in route to pick up their passenger, then the ridesharing company's full insurance policy kicks in. Both Uber and Lift have a 1,000,000 dollar personal injury insurance policy. Remember that this policy kicks in after the driver's personal policy reach its coverage limits.
Why Contacting A Lawyer Is So Important
As you've found out above, there are many things to consider when you're involved in a ridesharing accident. Navigating the legal waters and determining what insurance policy or policies will be paying for your injury compensation can be difficult. Employing a ridesharing lawyer to help you along the way will ensure that you get the compensation that you need for your injuries.
Your lawyer will be able to collect the necessary evidence from the ridesharing application to determine what insurance is covering the accident. They'll be able to take up suit against those companies and assist you in determining a proper amount of compensation for the injuries that you sustained from the accident. Most importantly, a lawyer will be able to do all the heavy lifting with your claims case so that you can physically and mentally worry about getting better. You don't want to be dealing with lawyers, insurance companies, and educating yourself on laws when you're injured.
Being involved in a ridesharing accident may not be something that you've thought about before. However, since ridesharing is becoming more popular, you should be prepared with what you should do in the event that you find yourself involved in one. The above steps will help you to figure out how to proceed after an accident occurs.
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