What to do to prepare for police interview?

Answer 1

This is something I learned from a Police officer..

You must first understand that the Police talk in traps. This is to say that if you get pulled up for speeding or J walking, you will notice that the first thing the Officer will ask you is: "Do you have a good reason why you were J walking?"

This is a trap. What ever your reason given is, you have just admitted that you are guilty. The best answer is "I'm sorry Officer,.. I don't believe I was."

This way, the accusation is still contestable and if you stick to your guns on this they soon realise it's not worth the argument and usually let you go.

Of course it's best to remain polite no matter how heated this conversation gets or before you know it they can get you for other things.

Always assume a Police officer is recording every word you say,... because they are.

The two most common misconceptions about Police officers are:

1. They must tell you that you are being recorded. Wrong,.. they don't have to tell you this. The privacy act states that they only have to advise you if the conversation is not face to face such as over the phone (financial institutions etc.)

2. That a Police Officers word has more weight in court that a civilian. This is also wrong. You have the same rights without footage or recording as evidence. You can argue your point. It's your right.

Having said that, never argue with a Judge or Magistrate. That becomes a slippery slope real fast and sticks with your for life.

So the question was how to prepare for a Police Interview.

A safety net is the best approach. The reason behind what I tell you next is very exhaustive so I wont go into it but it's a good idea to state at the begining of an interview that you are speaking on behalf of Joe Bloggs (whatever your name is) - "the actual person" . This is about Maritime Law and another basket altogether but this is the reason why your name on credit cards and licences is always in full capital letters. That is not you... in this instance you are representing a corporation of your identity. Always write your name down in lower case when dealing with the law to show you are an "actual person" who can not be treated the same with regards to evidence supplied. I'm still not hitting this on the head because it's such an open questions and rather speculative. The best advice is be honest. If you've done something wrong they will learn about it. The Police have more training that you understand when it comes to questioning people and for good reason.

There really is no way to "prepare" so to speak because they have been trained to tell if your reciting a rehersed story or just letting it flow. Don't ever play Poker with a Police Officer.

Added: Some of the above information is amusingly informational but do not for an instant believe the information offered about so-called "Maritime Law." It has absolutely NO bearing on the criminal law process.

If you are truly innocent of any wrongdoing and/or are simply giving a statement as a witness to an offense, just answer the officers questions forthrightly and honestly. Any attempt at lies or subterfuge will be 'sensed' by an experienced interrogator and will only lead to your being questioned more intensely than you would have if you had simply answered honestly.