Can the police arrest you for swearing at them?

Golf Alpha Nine-seven

Yes it is covered by Section 5 of the Public Order Act and the charge will be read like this -

"Using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress thereby."

Don't do it because it is an easy arrest, and thereby detection, for the Officers and you will end up with a Criminal Record and a large fine for doing so if found guilty.

LYNDA M

im afraid they can.

emmamac14

yes, its a public order offence, they can arrest you if they hear you swearing at someone other than them too for the same offence

Peachy Girl

I don't know but they bloody well should do

People should have respect for each other!!!

I would love to see some of these little tossers who go around terrorising old people on buses or in their homes being arrested for verbally abusing someone

Police should be given more power of arrest and get the little sods off the streets

Night_nurse

Yes they can - I learned this the hard way a few weekends ago when my potty mouth nearly got me arrested in Leister Square!

david g

Yes public order offence sec 5

Karen

YES.They can arrest you under Section 5 of the public order act .

Natasha

They can arrest you alright, just pray that they are having a good day.

cassidy

I hope so

skipper409

yes - it can be disorderly conduct (section 5 public order act), or even threatening behaviour, if you look like youre going to fight as well (section 4 public order act), or a Breach of the Peace
these are amongst the most basic Police powers, and its amazing people are ignorant of it & insist on going too far - its like shelling peas on a Saturday night, which is why officers will tollerate a certain amount of it before acting, with a few warnings thrown in first usually. If they nicked everone for it immediately, theyd only get out of the station for 10 minutes a day!

frankturk50

Yes under the public order act.Also using obscene language in a public place is another offence for which you could be arrested

woznotwoz

Oh yes.

trigga1uk

They should be alowd to give you a slap. To many of these little scumbags have no repsect for the police - and even if they arrest someone for badmouthing them what will the end result be - nothing, just more paperwork. Give the police back the powers they need to get some respect back.

Ben G

There is no offence of swearing 'at a police officer', however there is an offence of using "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour", which would cover your scenario. Swearing at anyone in public is likely to fall under this definition, and you are quite likely (and quite rightly) to receive a Penalty Notice if the officer who witnesses you is feeling generous, or he will simply arrest you.

For anyone who has criticised this - please note that this is THE LAW and is not written by police officers. I suggest if you are happy to have a disorderly and violent society, you address any complaints about the legislation to Parliament.

CLIVE H

Yes. Not only that, the police can either arrest someone or give them an on the spot fine for simply swearing at anyone. There was the case recently of two young lads walking and chatting in the street. One used the dreaded 'f-word' to his mate and was fined on the spot by a police officer who overheard it.

Rather reminds me of that old World War 2 slogan, "Even the walls have ears."

"Waiter, there's a spy in my soup."

Gabby_Gabby_Purrsalot

I'd guess they could call it disorderly conduct.

Indiana

These days a cop can arrest you for looking at them the wrong way! They then add on a few things before you go in
front of a judge.

TheGeneral

Ive done it and they told me to watch my mouth in the U.S., I told him why dont you go ***** yourself.

tboz81

It depends on the jurisdiction and also if you threatened them while swearing at them.

osama

ask the officer can his d ick touch his a rse if it can then tell him to go f@ck himself and see what he says

Stephen A

Yes they can, freedom of speach means nothing. The police seem to think that they are above the law in some aspects and could arrest just for the sake of it.

eatmorec11h17no3

Go tell a cop to cram a f@g up his wanking @rse. Then see how he reacts.

haha, they censor vulgar British slang, too.

Damn you, Y!A.

pilgrim

Yes, they call it a public order offence.
even if they instigated the offence by antagonising you. There are an awful lot of Cowards hiding behind their uniforms, and the fact that they are protected by being able to Lie and get collegues to Confirm their Lies. even in a courtroom.

miXzo

No.

gank4lyfe

Verbal assualt..LMAO

But cops can do anything they want

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