When the police are investigating a crime, they may try to ask you certain questions if they think you were involved. You know that it can be problematic to lie to the police, and you also do not want to incriminate yourself. So, do you have to answer those questions?
Generally, you do not. If the police stop you on the street to talk to you, even if they do not say you are free to go, you still do not have to answer their questions. If you get pulled over during a traffic stop, you may need to identify yourself and provide important paperwork – like your proof of insurance or your registration – but you still don’t have to answer questions.
This even applies if you’ve already been arrested. The police may still try to interrogate you, and you always have a right to legal representation and a right to remain silent. You can simply choose not to answer any questions that they ask, whether or not you think the question pertains to the case.
Wouldn’t it help to work with the police?
Often, it does not. The police may try to manipulate you by acting as if your cooperation will make things go quickly. For instance, they may tell you that they’ll let you go home if you just admit to the charges. They may imply that your cooperation will keep you from being charged at all, so you can avoid legal ramifications if you talk to them.
The reality is that they are simply seeing if you will incriminate yourself through your own statements, and they can lie to you or manipulate you to do it. It is often far better to stay silent and focus on your legal defense options.
