SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — The Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments is urging state residents to educate themselves about their rights when interacting with law enforcement. The coalition recently hosted a workshop featuring a panel of speakers to highlight the importance of this knowledge.

Joe DiCola, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Illinois, said, "The law is the law and so any officer who has stopped you does not have to tell you what your rights are or what all of your rights are in a way that makes sense, so you knowing them when you go into that encounter is important."

The workshop and panel discussion focused on how to safely navigate situations such as traffic stops, emphasizing the need for individuals to be informed about their legal rights.