Should I Talk to the Police

The age-old question of what you do when you are contacted by the police. Many times, we want to cooperate and explain why they have it wrong. The problem is, once the police think you did something, you are now the suspect and the questions are aimed at proving your guilt. When faced with this scenario, it is usually best to have an attorney present and involved to make sure there is no confusion.

This is not to say that the police are out to get you, most are not. However, based on their training and experience, they make snap decisions and then investigate to corroborate what they already know. Once they think you’ve done something, they only look for facts to support their conclusion.

As an example, the first person to call the police is usually the victim. It has happened on more than one occasion in an assault case that the person who calls the police, was the person who started the fight. The “victim” throws his punches and then runs to the police to report how they were assaulted. The police now have one side of the story, the story that says you are guilty. That’s where their investigation begins.

Another problem is that after traumatic events, people don’t always remember clearly. People confuse facts and make mistakes. Police do want the correct story, and if you ask for an attorney, that buys time for your nerves to settle. Once you have discussed your case with your attorney, they can help ensure the police understand what happened. This helps to ensure a proper and correct investigation.

When clients are faced with talking to the police, they should ask for an attorney to be present. The client should talk to their attorney and make sure the information given to the police is correct and accurate. If the police learn the whole story, and not just the pieces they believe happened, you can prevent a criminal charge or the risk of trial.