Dont Talk To Cops :: essays research papers

Dont Talk to Cops"GOOD MORNING My name is investigator Holmes. Do you mind answering a some simple questions?" If you open your door one day and are greeted with thosewords, STOP AND THINK Whether it is the local police or the FBI at your door,you have accredited legal rights of which you ought to be aware before you proceedany further.In the first place, when law enforcement authorities come to see you,there are no "simple questions". Unless they are investigating a trafficaccident, you can be sure that they want information about somebody. And thatsomebody may be you formula number one to remember when confronted by the authorities is thatthere is no law requiring you to talk with the police, the FBI, or therepresentative of any other investigative agency. purge the simplest questionsmay be loaded and the seemingly harmless bits of information which you volunteermay later become vital links in a strand of circumstantial evidence against youor a friend.DO NOT INV ITE THE INVESTIGATOR INTO YOUR HOMESuch an invitation not only gives him the opportunity to look roughly forclues to your lifestyle, friends, admiting material, etc., but also tends toprolong the conversation. The longer the conversation, the more chance there isfor a skill investigator to find out what he wants to know. some times a police officer will ask you to accompany him to the policestation to answer a few questions. In that case, simply convey him for theinvitation and indicate that you are not disposed to accept it at this time.Often the authorities simply want to photograph a person for identificationpurposes, a procedure which is easily accomplished by placing him in a privateroom with a two-way mirror at the station, asking him a few innocent questions,and then releasing him.If the investigator becomes angry at your failure to cooperate andthreatens you with arrest, stand firm. He cannot legally place you infra arrestor enter your home without a warrent signed by a judge. If he indicates that hehas such a warrent, ask to see it. A person under arrest, or located on premisesto be searched, generally must be shown a warrent if he requests it and must begiven to chance to read it.Without a warrent, an officer depends solely upon your helpfulness toobtain the information he wants. So, unless you are quite sure of yourself,dont be helpful.Probably the wisest approach to take to a persistant investigator is