Talking to the police or other law enforcement can be intimidating. Whether you were pulled over or there was a warrant for your arrest, it can be challenging to remember what to do when officers ask questions.
Your initial inclination might be to cooperate as much as possible with the hope that the officer will let you continue on your way. You should follow some orders from the police, but you should be cautious about answering questions. In some cases, law enforcement will engage in dishonest behavior to get you to answer incriminating questions.
Here’s what you should know about talking to officers and when they might be lying.
The initial conversation
There are only a few times when you must answer a question from a police officer. Typically, you need to respond with your name if asked to identify yourself, and if you are driving, you will likely need to provide license and registration information.
This initial conversation can be brief. If an officer has more questions for you, you can give answers, such as:
- I am choosing to remain silent
- I would like to speak to a lawyer
An officer might continue to ask you questions, but you have no obligation to answer.
Officers do not have to tell the truth, but you do
During an investigation, police might get eager to add a confession to the case they are trying to build. In many cases, as officers are talking to suspects, they might mislead you with statements, such as:
- We have an eyewitness
- Your friends already gave us all the information we need
- There is already enough evidence at the scene
- We can get you a reduced sentence if you talk
The idea behind these lies is to tempt you into a confession. Although officers can tell you lies like these, you cannot lie in return. Remember, when you talk to the police, anything you say could become part of their case against you.