Find Out Why Talking to Police Does You No Favors

A woman who was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) after an accident that killed a man during a crash on I-17 in Phoenix gave us all a valuable lesson in exactly how not to behave when questioned by police officers.

When officers arrived on the scene the woman verbally and physically assaulted the officers, and even grabbed a needle during an attempted DUI field sobriety test before being taken into custody.

TIPS OR HOW TO ACT WHEN QUESTIONED BY POLICE

If you’re questioned by police, the less you say, the better off you’ll be. If you’re in a talkative mood, your lawyer is the one you should open up to.

With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips to remember in case you find yourself on the answering end of a police officer’s question.

• Remain calm.
  Feeling panicky is normal if you’re approached by police. But remember, any statement you give them can harm you because the panic is keeping you from thinking clearly. Any response to the officer’s questions should be kept to, “I’d like to speak with my attorney first.”
• You’ll not be able to talk your way out of any charges.
  If the officers have evidence to arrest you, they will. While you may be eloquent and a bit of a charmer, the odds are against you being able to smooth talk your way out of being arrested.
• Don’t bet on police getting your side of the story straight.
  Any statement made to police will be written into the official incident report, and the chances are against the officer writing your side of things verbatim. Contradictions later in the legal process can ruin your credibility.
• It’s human nature to exaggerate.
  As humans, we can’t help ourselves when it comes to adding a little bit of information to our stories. That’s why the more you say to a police officer, the greater your chances are of adding completely irrelevant material to your story that will be difficult to recall later on. Any variation can seriously hurt your chances of prevailing.

IF YOU’RE FACING CHARGES, YOUR BEST BET IS TO DO YOUR TALKING WITH AN ATTORNEY.

Let your attorney do your talking for you. That way, you’ll be in the best position for the best possible outcome.

Get in touch with us here at the offices of Alex Lane. The first consultation is always free, so call us at 480-776-5757.