I was arrested and need advice

Hi there. I’m a German in my late 20’s who’s been in Taiwan a little over a year, in December I went out with some work colleagues and got black out drunk. I’ve never been this drunk before.
I don’t remember most of the night but passed out in the street on my way home. Was awoken by two police officers. I lashed out and struck one of the officers and was swearing at them in German. I also spat at them. I’m so deeply ashamed and I have no idea why I acted like this and have no memory of it.

I was in the police station for 14 hours and once sobered up and was very remorseful for what I’d done, the police officers forgave me, and didn’t put the charge of assaulting a police officer but the Taiwan equivalent of ‘drunk and disorderly’ can’t remember the exact term. I was eternally grateful for this. They treated me really well and were very nice to me.

I was sent to the prosecutors place and bailed for 25knt and am awaiting my court date.

I work for a big company here on a two year contract and am so worried about the outcome of this, could I be deported? Even possibly jailed? The officers seemed to think I would just be fined, but the case has all the information of how I acted. It’s awful. I cant imagine I would just get away with a fine for acting that way.

I’ve never been in trouble like this before and I can’t even sleep. Could lose my job and also am really enjoying my life here. Feel so ashamed and hate that I’ve acted like a low life. I hate the bad foreigner stereotype and acted like one myself.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Turn on your TV. Channel 50 to 55 mostly but there are others. Here they call these “news channels” believe it or not. Daily themes are traffic accidents and citizens resisting arrest shouting and pushing cops.

It’s Taiwan culture
You’ll be fine.

Seek help for your drink anger issues. Sounds like a big issue further down the line.

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I really doubt anything more than a fine will occur. If it is big or other charges then get lawyer. But it sounds to me less severe than assaulting officer or drunk driving…so I wouldn’t worry. But I know that doesn’t help. There are many foreigners that have done far worse and are still allowed to be here. Focus on work and be patient.

Thanks for the replies guys. Also agreed about this drinking issues. I stopped drinking completely after that night. Haven’t touched alcohol since, it’s not worth the risk.

Really hope it’s just a fine. Even with a fine will this give me a criminal record and I’d be unable to renew my Arc in the future?

i’m sure it will be fine if you just blame it all on the drink and act like it was out of your control :wink:

The guy who tattooed his forehead actually firebombed a 7/11 over some dispute involving a hamburger he’d bought. And that was before we all knew about him because he tattooed his forehead!

I can’t say for certain, but if I had to put money on it I don’t think OP will get fired and/or deported over this. And I agree he should stop drinking and see a therapist. If he got drunk enough to assault police, then he could get drunk enough to get behind the wheel.

I heard about this man. I think though he is married into Taiwan and basically a ‘citizen’ in the eyes of the law and can’t be deported?

I have no idea. Anyway it’s all besides the point. Let us know how everything goes. My guess is 90% chance you’re fine.

But it’d be smart to lay off the booze. It won’t address whatever underlying problem really caused that angry outburst you had with the police. You’re very lucky they gave you a break.

Wahid the Iranian got 3 months jail and a deportation order, but I don’t think he was very drunk at the time of his offences, and he did it two days in a row.

I think if you are as contrite to the judge and cops as you have been here it won’t be a problem.

What’s the backstory about this Iranian fellow?

Drewcutz, yes I have completely cut out drinking from my life after this incident.

Charlie, do you know exactly what was his charge? Thanks

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Normally if you upset someone when you’re drunk, it helps to do something to make them feel better like give them cash or say sorry and get down on your knees and cry or something.

In this case it was the police who you upset, so there must be another route to say you’re sorry to them. If you can’t find any more information then a lawyer might help giving you that information and they might wipe it all away. He could tell the police that you’ve you’re sorry and that you’ve enrolled in a drinking program or something and that would technically be some type of apology.

In the case of a private citizen, it’s possible to mediate the whole situation away. I’m not sure when it only involves the police.

It might even take make an appointment with that particular police officer and going to the police station and profusely apologizing and doing something to show you’ve made a change is an apology to him and to the citizens of Taiwan.

Talk any Taiwan friends you have they may have friends or family that have been in the situation or someone might understand this situation well enough to go to the police station with you and take care of it. It won’t hurt if it’s an upstanding member of the community or an attractive intelligent woman or an old person that really loves you and cares about you or whatever it takes just find something.

Let me just ask a couple questions. Was this situation in your neighborhood yes or no? Did you go to the international police officer police office or just a regular police station? Did they call the so-called International police to come assist with you?

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This.

Honestly, don’t beat yourself up about it. I don’t think you have a drinking problem or even an anger problem. Alcohol makes you something you’re not. Me, I’m one of those morose drunks, and I don’t get drunk because I don’t like that. You’re obviously an angry drunk, and your solution is the same as mine.

It was a one-off, you don’t normally do it, so pay the fine and get on with your life. To answer your question, deportation is very unlikely; whether you get fired depends entirely on your boss, but again, just act contrite and tell them it was completely out of character and they’ll probably let it ride. As someone said back there, getting paralytically drunk is ‘Taiwan business culture’, even if spitting at policemen is not.

Disgraceful behavior, as you say. It is good at least to see that you are aware of it & remorseful about the way you had made these police officers feel (from your post it seems you did not actually physically harm them), and that it perpetuates negative stereotypes. Unfortunately it is the cross we bear as Taiwan residents who don’t look Taiwanese…

Agreed with others that you should seek help for the anger/drinking issues… it’s nothing serious probably, but better to get help now than to wait for this to possibly happen again with an even worse outcome for yourself or others.

Sorry that you have to have this hanging over your head until it is resolved, hoping that things will be certain one way or the other for you soon.

Show remorse. Show a lot of remorse. Do not stop apologizing. If anything can doom you in the eyes of the law here, is not showing how contrite you are. See tv news? People kneel. And cry. Politicians kowtow. And get fired. It is more show than substance and though in this case, it has scared you to leave drinking, hence, has a lot if substance, you will have to show your deepest regret in the court of law.

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That Wahid guy sounds like a paranoid schizophrenic. It says he wasn’t even drunk. Hope he was deported back to Tehran or wherever.

Not sure how accurate that was, but I read that the guy just wanted a ticket to Iran and had no money…

And spent time in prison for it.

Well… good.