First off, this could be any self-defense situation, whether you defended yourself with hands, feet or another object. Recently on my YouTube channel I had someone ask me about dealing with the police in the aftermath of a self-defense shooting. I didn't go into a lot of detail, but hit some highlights. Now I want to go into more detail.

First off, to avoid trouble, make sure you are in compliance with the law of your state. Carry where you are allowed to carry and carry what you are allowed to carry. Don't be involved in illegal activity when you are carrying. If you have a firearm in the home, make sure it is legal to have by your state laws. Avoid drugs and alcohol when you are carrying. Drugs and alcohol affect judgement and being in possession of a firearm while under the influence may be a crime in your state.

Be careful of what situations you get into. If a conflict becomes heated or angry, back out. You don't have to "stand up for your rights." When emotions come into play, judgement is affected and you get wrapped up in the heat of what is happening. Sociopathic people play the system and love playing the victim. There is an old saying, Bullies have buddies. In other words a bully will have an audience who can back them up as witnesses if things go wrong for them. You should expect predatory people to lie.

Another thing to be wary of is the helicopter parent whose child can do no wrong. We live in a society today with people who have no sense of accountability and who have been raised to believe they are the center of the Universe. A helicopter parent will not only enable a young person to do wrong, but they will hound law enforcement and the judicial system until something is done to you for defending yourself against their child who may well be a six foot tall, 250 pound predator who was trying to take your life.

Life at times can be a valley filled with landmines. Walk circumspectly at all times. That is the importance of always being aware of what is going on around you and dealing with conflict unemotionally.

Now on to dealing with the police. The police are not there to be your friend. The police are there to find out what happened. They are concerned about safety on first arriving on scene. Comply with what they ask. Then they'll want you to talk.

You need to say little. Give the bare bone facts and state that you want to consult with an attorney before you say more. Do not write a statement. Consult with your attorney before you write anything. Police officers get statements for two reasons. One is that in the multitude of statements you can establish facts that all agree on, and secondly, you can get someone to incriminate themselves by that statement.

Police officers come from all walks of life. Some have conservative values, but more and more we are seeing officers who are social justice warriors and have that mindset. Often their personal value system will reflect how they do their job. They may dislike you for your gender, your race, your socio-economic background or because you defended yourself or another person. Some police officers feel that they are the only ones qualified to carry or own a gun. Others support the 2nd Amendment and realize that when seconds count, the police are minutes in arriving. However, don't count on them to see things your way.

Last, check into self-defense insurance. There are several organizations out there that provide legal costs and representation if you are involved in any type of self-defense situation. GB and have discussed this recently and after further research I signed up with the United States Concealed Carry Association who provide protection for both armed and unarmed self-defense. They also offer training.

As always, prepare for the worst, expect the unexpected, but treat all with respect and decency.