Don’t talk to the police!
Whether you are being pulled over, approached on the street, or officers arrive at your door, it is never a good idea to talk to the police.
Whether you are guilty or completely innocent, it is never a good idea to talk to the police.
Whether you ready to come clean or you have nothing to hide, it is never a good idea to talk to the police.
Please review these TOP REASONS NOT TO TALK TO THE POLICE, some of which can be credited to a video lecture by Professor Dwayne at Regent University Law School:
- Talking to the police CANNOT and WILL NOT help you. Trying to reason with the police or talk your way out of an arrest will not be effective and can only work against you. If the police are talking to you, you are a suspect or a potential suspect. They have some evidence to suggest you have committed the crime and they are looking for more. No matter how charming or articulate you think you are, denying the offense or trying to use your charisma will only hurt you.
- If you are guilty and ready to come clean, you still should not talk to the police. Resist the urge to confess to the police – this is never a good idea. Hire an attorney and let them do their job. Even if you are guilty, there may be circumstances that allow your attorney to argue for lesser charges, a deal, or maybe even case dismissal. If you confess to the police, this will be much more difficult, if not impossible.
- Even if you are innocent, you could inadvertently tell a little white lie and destroy your credibility. It is easy to get rattled when talking to the police, even if you are completely innocent. It is not uncommon that people will exaggerate their story to appear as innocent as possible and inadvertently tell a little white lie. This little white lie could later be used to compromise your credibility later on.
- Even if you are innocent, you could provide some detail that could be used against you. Even if you manage to stay calm and not exaggerate your statement of innocence, you could say something innocently that could be misinterpreted and used against you.
- The police may not recall your statement with 100% accuracy. Even if you manage to not exaggerate your statement of innocent AND not say anything incriminating, the police may not recall your statement accurately. It then becomes your word versus the word of the police offer, and the judge or jury are not likely to believe you. They will assume the officer is being truthful and they will think you are lying to save yourself. Don’t put yourself in this position.
- If you make a statement of innocent assumption regarding the case, it may be used against you. If you overhear something or make an assumption about the case, you may unknowingly give the police ammunition against you. They may assume you must be guilty in order to have this information, even if it was an innocent assumption or something you heard from someone else.
- Your statement can be used against you if the police have any evidence that your statements are false (even if they are actually true). Witnesses make mistakes. If a witness says something in conflict with your statement (even if they are wrong), it creates a conflict and casts doubt on your innocence. Don’t put yourself in this position – Don’t talk to the police.
- The police do not have authority to make deals or grant a suspect leniency in exchange for getting your statement. The officers may lie to you and tell you they can help cut you a deal if you talk. They may tell you that things will go easier if you cooperate and that you would be better off confessing. They are LYING. Do not be bullied into making a statement to the police!
- Even if you are guilty and want to confess, there may be mitigating factors that justify a lesser charge. You may be guilty of a lesser offense than you are being charged for. If you confess, you give up your bargaining power. The police will be looking to incriminate you for the most severe crime possible. Hire an attorney – Do not talk to the police.
- It is difficult to tell your story a second time in the exact same way, no matter how truthful it is. If you make a statement to the police, you run the danger of conflicting yourself when you make it again at trial. Don’t put yourself in this position – Do not talk to the police!
Talking to the police can and should only be done with an experienced criminal defense attorney, and the decision about whether to talk to them is one you should never make alone. You need experienced counsel to advise you appropriately and advocate on your behalf.
