INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO): The rise in the number of nationwide cases involving police protocol also raises questions about how people should best respond when questioned or pulled over by police.

What should you do when pulled over by police?

Indiana State Police Capt. Dave Bursten says police officers are also human beings who themselves have also been stopped by police officers.

He says it really comes down to treating officers they way you want to be treated and vice versa. He says both officers and the person they‘re questioning should be as professional, police and courteous as humanly possible.

Bursten says when police pull people over, they‘re often tense because they don‘t know what they‘re dealing with. He says folks who are pulled over should turn on their dome light, roll their window down and keep their hands at the “ten and two” positions on the steering wheel.

He says alert the officer immediately if you have a firearm, but do not reach for it. Bursten says do not run away from police while in custody. He says many people under questioning often do things that are worse than the initial infraction.

He says if people believe police have behaved improperly they should consult with an attorney after the incident. He says if officers have truly behaved improperly, people won‘t have any trouble hiring a good attorney.