Don’t Ever Speak With The Cops
In theory I think that we all know we shouldn’t talk to the cops. In some sense, the cops are like gigantic younger brothers and sisters. They play nice, want to be your friend, but the minute you tell them something that can get you in trouble they run off to mom and tell. But we can’t not talk to the cops. Trust me. I know. I’m a Seattle DUI lawyer and my clients talk all the time.
And I also know how hard it can be not to talk. In many instances people just don’t understand what they are doing. They think the cops are truly “investigating” and not out looking for somebody to arrest. And they let the police officers take advantage of their authority in bad ways. But I’ve got some information for you I think might help.
First things first, you are not some great persuasive mind. You can’t make the cops bend to your will, or fake them out into believing that you are completely innocent and should just be let go. The cops want to arrest you. The more you talk, the more information they get, and the worse it is for you. Just be quiet.
Along the lines of not being able to talk your way out of a problem is the you can’t outsmart the cops. At least not at this stage of the game. If they want to talk to you, they know something about you. They are trained to get information that will help their case. And, usually, you are trained in hiding that information. Staying quiet just stops this entire process.
Next, contrary to what the cops might say or try to lead you to believe, the quieter you are, the less trouble you are in. The old “why not talk if you have nothing to hide” spiel only works if keeping quiet can hurt you. It can’t. And if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t have to defend yourself either. Staying quiet works. And it can’t be used against you later.
In the end, the choice to remain silent is going to be up to you. It will be hard. The cops know how to pressure you to get you talk. They know how to make you feel guilty. They know how to make you scared. Eliminate that. When they start talking you tell them you’re not talking and demand to speak with a criminal attorney.
Learn more about fighting off the cops with a Seattle DUI defense attorney. Visit our site to learn everything you need to know about Seattle DUI law and what you can do to prevent a DUI charge.
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