sundevil
New member
Hopefully no-one here ever needs this but I recommend reading it as it may be important to you someday.
POLICE INTERROGATION
This is a file on how to handle yourselves once you are in police custody, what to watch out for and how to protect yourself.
KEEP SILENT ALL THE TIME YOU ARE IN POLICE CUSTODY
Confessions (statements) are made because they are an easy way out of a tense and uncomfortable situation. The police rely heavily on confession as without them they would find it impossible to operate.
REMEMBER THE POLICE DO NOT WANT TO HELP YOU EVER
CREDIBILITY
The Police will attempt to put over an impression of having knowledge of your activities; do not be fooled by this as they are looking for confirmation of their suspicions. Advantages and disadvantages of denial may be discussed, especially in the nature of, "You are going to be locked up, but...". Credibility will be increased by other officers agreeing with the officer's judgements
Beware of statements being put to you with which you are expected to agree, e.g. "You do understand don't you?" This will get you into a "yes mode". The interviewer will get you to say "yes" in answer to questions, so putting you in a frame of mind where you will be less likely to lie.
You may also be subject to non threatening questions, apparently offering you comfort, again getting you into a passive frame of mind. You may be placed under greater pressure by being put into isolation, i.e. a cell, and then be re-interviewed. This is to break down your resistance and may well be repeated several times.
REMEMBER TO KEEP SILENT ALL THE TIME. EVERYTHING THE POLICE SAY TO YOU IS FOR A REASON - TO SECURE A CONVICTION.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SPEAK
The interrogator will be sharp and pick up on things you might not have realized you had said. A classic pitfall of saying anything to the police is making excessive statements of truth e.g., "I swear on my mother's grave", or "There's no way I could have possibly done that". These show basically that you are lying, as do challenges by you, e.g. "If you think I've done it, then charge me and we'll sort it out in court". Bargaining ploys are another give away, e.g. "If I admit it, can I have bail?"
Saying "No Comment" likewise, may be construed to be an admission of something to hide. "I wish to maintain my right to silence" is much better though this in turn will show police that you are at least "suss".
MORE PITFALLS
You will be desperate to obtain information regarding you immediate future, this is only natural. However, a weakness such as this can be exploited by the police, allowing them to prey on your insecurity. For instance, "If I had a friend who had done this sort of thing, what would happen to them?" This is a pretty gross example, but it is such an easy trap to fall into - why hand them a lever? AGAIN, KEEPING SILENT AVOIDS THIS SITUATION
STATUS
The interrogators' (police's) effectiveness is gently helped by their status. Look out for obvious signs; respect given by colleagues, by appearing to make things happen (like offering you a cup of tea), by being described as "fair", "tough", "determined" etc. Watch out fro plain clothes officers replacing uniformed ones - the impression will be formed that the former are more important and perhaps less intimidating.
BEAR IN MIND THE POLICE WILL LIE
The police will attempt to reduce the apparent advantages of denial. Denial is portrayed as pointless in the weight of evidence they suggest they have against you, e.g. "Your mate has made a full statement and dropped you right in it, so you might as well come clean". Hints may be dropped that there are witnesses, or that the police have evidence that can not be revealed yet, etc.
MORALE
You may experience an attempt at demoralization, e.g., "You're a very inept liar". Of course, IF YOU SAY NOTHING they can not use this ploy. You may also be warned that denial will have its penalties e.g., "By denying it and pleading not guilty you are turning a small case into a big one".
It may also be pointed out to you that confession will have its advantages, "Once you've got it off your chest you'll feel a whole lot better" - i.e. confession is good for you!!! The temptation to think that once you've made an admission everything will be over and done with is very strong. They may intimate that the consequences of confession may not be as bad as you imagine, "The law says that the courts have to have a very good reason to send a first time offender to prison and in your case there is no such reason." You may also be told that you are not a criminal but that you're just misguided!
FURNITURE AND SPATIAL PSYCHOLOGY
When in the interview room look out for use of furniture. The power of persuasion is greater when the interviewer removes the barrier of the desk that creates a division of "their" space and "your" space. It is common for the interviewers to touch the suspect in a gesture of support and friendship. If the interviewer is on the opposite side of the table, such a gesture is limited. You best defence is to SHOW NO EMOTION
The whole atmosphere inside a police station is geared towards creating an environment of stress so as to break down the suspects morale. It is easy to accept the hand of friendship in such a situation, DON'T.
You, as the suspect, will have your back to the door. This is done to make you feel apprehensive each time someone comes into the room. In addition, the seat for the solicitor will be out of your eye line. The interviewer will often fall silent, putting pressure on you to fill in these "pregnant pauses" - again DON'T.
EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL
Look out for expressions of approval, both verbal and non verbal. Verbal: "That's good", "Yes, go on" and "I like that approach".... ad nauseam. Non verbal: smiling, nodding, looking at a fellow interviewer as if to say "She's/he's right you know." These are all indications of the frame of mind of the interviewer. If you have experienced any of them in the past and been taken in by them then you will now see why it is vitally important to remain SILENT and not give them the opportunity to play games with you. You may be offered compliments e.g. "You're no fool", etc. Non verbal compliments such as a little shake of the head as if to say tat I admire you for saying that. The principle behind all this is to make the suspect feel good and to encourage further dialogue.
HARD MAN/SOFT MAN
The interrogator(s) will alternatively offer support and aggression; either one officer playing both roles or two officers adopting one each. This is intended to break down the suspect. If the suspect is nervous, the friendly approach will be adopted, fostering a feeling of co-operative effort to "help" the suspect out of their fix. If the suspect is confident, they will subject them to the "masterful" approach, so that their confidence is exchanged for mild apprehension. These two approaches will be exchanged intermittently if the suspect fails to respond.
ALWAYS request a solicitor. The interviewer may pretend he is doing you a favour by offering you such a gift; he is not - it is one of your basic rights. However, DO NOT accept a duty solicitor as they are often dependant on the police for referrals and cannot therefore be relied upon to act in your best interest. your solicitor will offer moral support, and reduce the risks of a fabricated statement being made by the police. Maintain your right of silence even in the presence of your solicitor, whose main task is to get you away from the police station either uncharged or on police bail. You will have plenty of time to put your side of the story to the court, if and when it gets that far. YOU ARE NOT ANSWERABLE TO THE POLICE: DO NOT HELP THEM TO CONVICT YOU.
If you hear that the police are looking for you in connection with a particular offence, here is a particularly valuable tip: go to your solicitor and make a sworn statement that your are not going to make a statement to the police. Get it signed and witnessed by your solicitor and go with them to the police station. This apart from giving you an immense psychological advantage over your interrogator will also make it virtually impossible to invent a statement from you.
If there are two interviewers, one may be the dominant interviewer and the other a "note taker". The note taker does not take part in the questioning, but watches the reaction of the subject and supports the line of the number one interviewer.
PREPARE A PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THEM
This can take many forms, but the main ones are hatred and distrust. These two frames of mind will make you infinitely less susceptible to their methods of persuasion and coercion. Another one is to spot all the stereotype sayings they use, and to observe how they use the various tactics described here. Or pick a point on the wall, imagine 'no comment' or some other appropriate slogan is written there, and stare at it fixedly for the entire interview. Remember what they are protecting; remember that they are there to prevent you from achieving your goal - what possible reason could you have to trust them?
CONCLUSION
These points are taken from a book written by an interrogator for interrogators. In spite of constant reinforcement of "stay silent" many suspects fall into the same predictable traps. Our aim is to show that ploys used by the police are predetermined and well practised; that you are not the exception to the rule; but most of all with knowledge of the interrogator's games comes a massive psychological advantage to help you through your time in police custody.
WE HOPE WE HAVE PROVED THAT KEEPING SILENT IS YOUR BEST DEFENCE
POLICE INTERROGATION
This is a file on how to handle yourselves once you are in police custody, what to watch out for and how to protect yourself.
KEEP SILENT ALL THE TIME YOU ARE IN POLICE CUSTODY
Confessions (statements) are made because they are an easy way out of a tense and uncomfortable situation. The police rely heavily on confession as without them they would find it impossible to operate.
REMEMBER THE POLICE DO NOT WANT TO HELP YOU EVER
CREDIBILITY
The Police will attempt to put over an impression of having knowledge of your activities; do not be fooled by this as they are looking for confirmation of their suspicions. Advantages and disadvantages of denial may be discussed, especially in the nature of, "You are going to be locked up, but...". Credibility will be increased by other officers agreeing with the officer's judgements
Beware of statements being put to you with which you are expected to agree, e.g. "You do understand don't you?" This will get you into a "yes mode". The interviewer will get you to say "yes" in answer to questions, so putting you in a frame of mind where you will be less likely to lie.
You may also be subject to non threatening questions, apparently offering you comfort, again getting you into a passive frame of mind. You may be placed under greater pressure by being put into isolation, i.e. a cell, and then be re-interviewed. This is to break down your resistance and may well be repeated several times.
REMEMBER TO KEEP SILENT ALL THE TIME. EVERYTHING THE POLICE SAY TO YOU IS FOR A REASON - TO SECURE A CONVICTION.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SPEAK
The interrogator will be sharp and pick up on things you might not have realized you had said. A classic pitfall of saying anything to the police is making excessive statements of truth e.g., "I swear on my mother's grave", or "There's no way I could have possibly done that". These show basically that you are lying, as do challenges by you, e.g. "If you think I've done it, then charge me and we'll sort it out in court". Bargaining ploys are another give away, e.g. "If I admit it, can I have bail?"
Saying "No Comment" likewise, may be construed to be an admission of something to hide. "I wish to maintain my right to silence" is much better though this in turn will show police that you are at least "suss".
MORE PITFALLS
You will be desperate to obtain information regarding you immediate future, this is only natural. However, a weakness such as this can be exploited by the police, allowing them to prey on your insecurity. For instance, "If I had a friend who had done this sort of thing, what would happen to them?" This is a pretty gross example, but it is such an easy trap to fall into - why hand them a lever? AGAIN, KEEPING SILENT AVOIDS THIS SITUATION
STATUS
The interrogators' (police's) effectiveness is gently helped by their status. Look out for obvious signs; respect given by colleagues, by appearing to make things happen (like offering you a cup of tea), by being described as "fair", "tough", "determined" etc. Watch out fro plain clothes officers replacing uniformed ones - the impression will be formed that the former are more important and perhaps less intimidating.
BEAR IN MIND THE POLICE WILL LIE
The police will attempt to reduce the apparent advantages of denial. Denial is portrayed as pointless in the weight of evidence they suggest they have against you, e.g. "Your mate has made a full statement and dropped you right in it, so you might as well come clean". Hints may be dropped that there are witnesses, or that the police have evidence that can not be revealed yet, etc.
MORALE
You may experience an attempt at demoralization, e.g., "You're a very inept liar". Of course, IF YOU SAY NOTHING they can not use this ploy. You may also be warned that denial will have its penalties e.g., "By denying it and pleading not guilty you are turning a small case into a big one".
It may also be pointed out to you that confession will have its advantages, "Once you've got it off your chest you'll feel a whole lot better" - i.e. confession is good for you!!! The temptation to think that once you've made an admission everything will be over and done with is very strong. They may intimate that the consequences of confession may not be as bad as you imagine, "The law says that the courts have to have a very good reason to send a first time offender to prison and in your case there is no such reason." You may also be told that you are not a criminal but that you're just misguided!
FURNITURE AND SPATIAL PSYCHOLOGY
When in the interview room look out for use of furniture. The power of persuasion is greater when the interviewer removes the barrier of the desk that creates a division of "their" space and "your" space. It is common for the interviewers to touch the suspect in a gesture of support and friendship. If the interviewer is on the opposite side of the table, such a gesture is limited. You best defence is to SHOW NO EMOTION
The whole atmosphere inside a police station is geared towards creating an environment of stress so as to break down the suspects morale. It is easy to accept the hand of friendship in such a situation, DON'T.
You, as the suspect, will have your back to the door. This is done to make you feel apprehensive each time someone comes into the room. In addition, the seat for the solicitor will be out of your eye line. The interviewer will often fall silent, putting pressure on you to fill in these "pregnant pauses" - again DON'T.
EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL
Look out for expressions of approval, both verbal and non verbal. Verbal: "That's good", "Yes, go on" and "I like that approach".... ad nauseam. Non verbal: smiling, nodding, looking at a fellow interviewer as if to say "She's/he's right you know." These are all indications of the frame of mind of the interviewer. If you have experienced any of them in the past and been taken in by them then you will now see why it is vitally important to remain SILENT and not give them the opportunity to play games with you. You may be offered compliments e.g. "You're no fool", etc. Non verbal compliments such as a little shake of the head as if to say tat I admire you for saying that. The principle behind all this is to make the suspect feel good and to encourage further dialogue.
HARD MAN/SOFT MAN
The interrogator(s) will alternatively offer support and aggression; either one officer playing both roles or two officers adopting one each. This is intended to break down the suspect. If the suspect is nervous, the friendly approach will be adopted, fostering a feeling of co-operative effort to "help" the suspect out of their fix. If the suspect is confident, they will subject them to the "masterful" approach, so that their confidence is exchanged for mild apprehension. These two approaches will be exchanged intermittently if the suspect fails to respond.
ALWAYS request a solicitor. The interviewer may pretend he is doing you a favour by offering you such a gift; he is not - it is one of your basic rights. However, DO NOT accept a duty solicitor as they are often dependant on the police for referrals and cannot therefore be relied upon to act in your best interest. your solicitor will offer moral support, and reduce the risks of a fabricated statement being made by the police. Maintain your right of silence even in the presence of your solicitor, whose main task is to get you away from the police station either uncharged or on police bail. You will have plenty of time to put your side of the story to the court, if and when it gets that far. YOU ARE NOT ANSWERABLE TO THE POLICE: DO NOT HELP THEM TO CONVICT YOU.
If you hear that the police are looking for you in connection with a particular offence, here is a particularly valuable tip: go to your solicitor and make a sworn statement that your are not going to make a statement to the police. Get it signed and witnessed by your solicitor and go with them to the police station. This apart from giving you an immense psychological advantage over your interrogator will also make it virtually impossible to invent a statement from you.
If there are two interviewers, one may be the dominant interviewer and the other a "note taker". The note taker does not take part in the questioning, but watches the reaction of the subject and supports the line of the number one interviewer.
PREPARE A PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THEM
This can take many forms, but the main ones are hatred and distrust. These two frames of mind will make you infinitely less susceptible to their methods of persuasion and coercion. Another one is to spot all the stereotype sayings they use, and to observe how they use the various tactics described here. Or pick a point on the wall, imagine 'no comment' or some other appropriate slogan is written there, and stare at it fixedly for the entire interview. Remember what they are protecting; remember that they are there to prevent you from achieving your goal - what possible reason could you have to trust them?
CONCLUSION
These points are taken from a book written by an interrogator for interrogators. In spite of constant reinforcement of "stay silent" many suspects fall into the same predictable traps. Our aim is to show that ploys used by the police are predetermined and well practised; that you are not the exception to the rule; but most of all with knowledge of the interrogator's games comes a massive psychological advantage to help you through your time in police custody.
WE HOPE WE HAVE PROVED THAT KEEPING SILENT IS YOUR BEST DEFENCE
