What to Do If... The Police Call You In for Questioning

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Wild About Trial's Alison Triessl discusses what to do if the police call you down to the station for questioning.

[Mikevdog]

The cops kept calling my son to come in for questioning. I told him to ignore them. Eventually they stopped calling.

[dknelson]

Pro tip: Say your lawyer says “no” but don’t have a lawyer, saves money. If they’re calling you down voluntarily they don’t have a case. I told the cop that have to get lawyer and he said “I’ll give you two weeks” then he never called back!

[jshepard]

I'm not a famous, well-respected attorney but I also have some advice. Don't talk to cops!

[SB-vfvq]

There was a murder less than a block from my job. Monday morning they found the body of a soldier in a car parked on the north side of my workplace. The guy had used an atm at a grocery store on the south side of my workplace on a Saturday night. Poor guy came back to town on Mother's Day weekend, if I recall correctly, only to be dumped by his girl before going out alone. Management said detectives (from the city and the army) were coming up and wanted to talk to anyone who saw or heard anything unusual. I recalled going to the grocery that weekend. The front of the store was always clean and well kept. This particular day some slob was in the front smoking a cigarette and leaning against the coke machine just outside the entry way. I thought he was a new employee. Never before had I observed employees taking a brake or smoking in the front of the building. The sight of this slob as well as having to smell his smoke irritated me. Just inside the entrance and in direct line of sight from the coke machine was the atm. This guy was in good position the see anyone conducting a transaction on the atm. I made that statement to management and they asked me to tell it to detectives. I was shocked and unsettled when the interview turned into an interrogation. I gave what little information and suspicion I had. Then the detectives began to grill me. "Where did you park at the grocery store parking lot?" "Can you draw a diagram?" "Do you remember seeing a blue car in the parking lot?" "Did you park beside a blue car?" I remember having to pause before explaining to the detectives, "I came in here voluntarily as a concerned citizen. The thought never crossed my mind that I would be accused of such a crime." I was just crushed to realized these detectives thought I could have committed this crime. That situation tought me not to talk to the police. An innocent person with the best intentions could wind up in jail for a murder they did not commit.

[saltyhashes]

I enjoyed the part where there was constant clicking in the background.

[Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

Who can afford a competent attorney? But you can take care of yourself, if you NEVER talk to the cops. If you open your mouth, you are playing their game, and they hold all the cards.

[szqsk]

That guy is driving me crazy clicking that pen....

[BBCreditandCollection]

Is the answer... Don't Go Voluntarily... EVER

[stanleybuchan]

Don't go voluntarily. If you do, they will try to "fit you up" for a crime you haven't committed.

[Sameoldfitup]

I was arrested in November 3rd 2019 and interviewed for alleged Breach of Restraining Order April 2018. they let me go under inestigation. Now after nearly 10 months they called me to ask if i would attend the police station for a voluntary interview. During the first interview the police officer asked me "Were you not convicted for the same officence in 2013" My Solicitor replied "Why are you asking him that, he's already served his time for that"? In my eyes the police have already found me guilty.

[MisterMikeTexas]

Ignore the letter or phone call and don't answer the door.

[LectronCircuits]

Eight years on, this is still so very true. Cops can be very dangerous; you can't be too careful. Cheers!

[GetMeThere]

An interesting point from the James Duane video: They can use what you say AGAINST you, but the CANNOT use what you say FOR you -- because that is hearsay. If your police interrogator is on the stand and your attorney asks him to repeat something you said that is exonerating, the officer can't repeat that because it's hearsay.

Literally just did this. Blamed it on my attorney that there adamant I don’t go with out touching base first. The cop says “well James I just want to let you know it’s not my intention to arrest you, your free to leave at any time” so I respectfully denied and wished them a great rest of their day (awkwardly) and hung up

[PInkW]

There was a case where a guy got convicted of rape and attempted murder. He kept saying he was innocent. No one listened. He got 20yrs in prison. After 16yrs a cop decided to check the DNA evidence and found the guy was 100% innocent. They let him out of prison the next day.

[robmckinney]

Very interesting. I know very few people who can afford a attorney. Respect.

[tidefanyankee]

Have your lawyer's phone number handy, and give it to them. As he's said in other videos, be polite but respectfully decline and NEVER take the bait. DO NOT fall for the "if you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about" line. Don't argue, don't try to get in a "gotcha" statement, don't try to have the last word. Just give them your lawyer's phone number, and say "no thank you, good bye". Oh, and if you get a phone call like this, don't go anywhere shortly after....DO NOT get in your vehicle and drive someplace unless you absolutely have to. Chances are, they could have a unit waiting outside so they can pull you over for some made up reason. Now, they can detain you with driver's checks and the excuse will be that their computer is "running slow today", and a possible "safety inspection" etc.... Remember the cops have cell phones too. The detective who called you could be a block away for all you know.
Watch this lawyer's video on what to do if they knock on your door. A cop can go with something like, "well, I guess coming down to the station might have been intimidating for you so I came to you out of courtesy". Unless they have a warrant, you don't have to let them in, nor talk to them....so don't. Be polite, tell them your lawyer has advised you to not talk to them and bid them good day. Don't gloat, don't get "smart" with respectfully decline and say "good day" as you close the door. If they try to step in, ask to see a warrant, and inform them you are going to call your attorney.

[razvandobos]

Back in January 2018, my sister shot herself right in front of me. She died a few days later in the hospital. 15 years old. I got struck with the flu the day after she passed away. During when I was sick, I got a call from my local sheriff's office saying that they want to just talk to me and ask a few questions after I recovered. I know committing suicide isn't a crime (unless you live in Louisiana), but the police can turn things around. I probably did the right thing without even realizing it by not calling back.

[ALADDIN]

People with undiagnosed ASD / Asperger’s syndrome or diagnoses ASD are vulnerable, they may voluntarily give information without the attorney. People who have ADHD may be vulnerable !

[kentneumann]

Excellent advice. I learned the hard way. Drastically altered most of my adult life for the worse.