YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TALK TO THE POLICE

If you are contacted by a police officer who wants to talk to you about some event you may have been involved in or been a witness to, you are not required to speak to them. You can politely say that you do not want to make any statement and they must not force you to talk. If you are arrested, or about to be arrested, you also do not need to make any statement. Many people feel that they can “explain their side” and the police will understand and not arrest them or file charges – this seldom works. Often when and officer wants to talk with a person, they have already decided what they are going to do and merely are hoping to bolster their case by getting a statement from the person. Always talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police.