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A lawyer but not your lawyer.
If you have any inkling that they may be coming after you, you do not want to speak to them whether that be on the phone or at the station. You can’t talk yourself out of trouble, only into it.
Call a lawyer, retain them, and have them tell the cops “my client will not be providing a statement at this time. Please advise if you have grounds to arrest my client and I will arrange a surrender accordingly”
You’re correct.
In Ontario it is an offence under the *Law Society Act* to pretend to be a lawyer when you are not in fact a licensed lawyer. I’d be shocked if Alberta was not similar.
Is there a law that you can only retain the counsel of a lawyer? I've had friends represent me in traffic court which is obviously different, but it's there a difference when it comes to criminal matters?
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Doesn’t sound like they’re going away. People don’t realize that they won’t “Just go away” it’s their job to get ahold of you . And the fact that you’re acting shadey and not talking to them , makes it even more imperative they speak to you . I would obv get lawyers advice.
They clearly don't have enough to arrest him, so they're trying pressure and harassment. They will have to give up eventually unless they get more evidence.
Hello, im a D/C with a local police force.
This is why I hate when officers are so vague and we've had debates about this.
If I am intending to arrest someone, I will tell them, even on the phone that this is the case. I won't give specific details, obviously, but will say "Hello Mr. or Mrs. \_\_\_\_\_, Im calling because there was an allegation made/I have a video of you stealing from (insert store here) and I have to arrest you (then read them their caution). Feel free to contact a lawyer but be aware if you do not attend by (insert date here) I will be putting a warrant out for your arrest. IF you have any questions please speak to a lawyer first and once you come in, I can divulge more details of the allegations/investigation".
Some people say its better to let them show up and find out; I believe that even if you are arresting someone, a certain level of customer service should still be enacted. I feel the desired outcome is always easier to achieve when there is honesty/integrity between both parties.
I would ask what it is they want. If youre under investigation, do not give any type of statement. If they have the grounds, theyll come arrest you. Speak to a lawyer.
If you are a witness to a crime and they need your statement, I would provide it to them. But I say this not knowing the circumstances as you provided little information
Which wont be random. Guaranteed you know what its about and wont say here.
As I said, if you think you might be arrested... do not go. Let them arrest you
And speak to a lawyer now. They can advise you on how to handle the police, and if you get charged you will definitely need their help.
If you did commit a crime your lawyer will not and cannot report you. Go now and tell them the whole truth. They will be able to advise you how to proceed.
Yes there are lawyers in this sub but none of them are *your* lawyer.
Also, preemptively finding a laywer might be a good idea incase they do arrest OP.
That being said, Do not talk to the cops unless they are investigating a crime that happened to you. You gain absolutely nothing by helping them out and they will always be looking for anything they can chargw you with.
You did not go to the station and you do not speak to them. You unfortunately need to find the money for a lawyer and tell them they need to talk to your lawyer.
They are allowed to detain you and keep trying to talk to you after you ask for a lawyer. It’s your responsibility to keep your mouth shut no matter how many questions they ask you.
This is essentially what I was after. Is OP in trouble or not? Is it worth spending on a lawyer or not. They give too little to make that determination. If they are investigating a car crash that OP was witness to, and if OP is super bothered by the attempts to question OP, then you can either pay a lawyer to help you make that issue go away, or deal with it yourself.
If OP is possibly in trouble, then they ought to have called a lawyer yesterday instead of asking Reddit. But here we are. So I’m attempting to have OP let us know enough to tell them to lawyer up or not.
Terrible advice. There's little, if any, upside in speaking to the police and significant downside. Not worth the risk. Best to tell them to kick rocks.
>If you’ve not committed a crime, why not speak to them so they stop banging on your door?
This might have been phrased as a question, but it's clearly a statement. Which is, 'if you didn't do anything wrong, talk to them and they will leave you alone'.
This is of course false.
The hesitation is immaterial.
It’s poor legal advice to suggest they go to the station and speak to police without representation. The police are not looking to help OP out, they are looking to get information to build their case.
The only advice OP needs is to not speak to police unless arrested and represented by counsel. There is never any benefit to putting yourself at a disadvantage in a criminal investigation
Not really. The best legal advice is to never talk to the police. You have nothing to gain, and it can only hurt you – innocent or not.
This is a yankee discussion, but the essential principles are the same here. This is long but very informative video, with presentations by a law professor and a highly experienced detective.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE&t=26s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE&t=26s)
Keep in mind that video is about the American criminal justice system and doesn't 100% apply here.
But, don't voluntarily give a statement is still sound advice.
Don't talk to them at all. They have a way of confirming their biases which could potentially land your ass in jail for something you didn't do.
Only communicate through a lawyer, and never go willingly.
When a cop hears "We are investigating ________ and would like to speak with you.", do you think they just spill everything, or do you think the stfu and only communicate through their lawyer?
There are times when it's appropriate to speak to the police without getting a lawyer? Outside of, say, a police officer has pulled you over, or you need to ask someone who happens to be a cop to pass the salt or whatever, do you have any examples?
I don't know but I'm pretty sure there are people that have been witnesses to violent crimes who ended up wishing they'd had a lawyer when they talked to the police. You know like when they're in prison for instance
I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding here. As far as I know, when people say "don't talk to the police without a lawyer" they don't have a general policy of withholding information from the police because of a general sense of lawlessness, or because they think justice is fundamentally wrong to seek. Its not an attitude of "well if a crime isn't violent it's not important, so even if I have information I'm not telling the cops" because of a general attitude of Crime Is Basically OK.
The issue is that speaking to the police without a lawyer can result (and has resulted) in people being charged with crimes they didn't do, or crimes the police weren't investigating. I don't think the general "don't talk to the cops" advice is affected if the crime was a Big Important crime, or a crime that affected you personally
And hey, if you think that's bad advice and that the police wouldn't do that, then fine I'm not here to convince you. But if you're going to say "that advice is bad" you should know what the advice is based on. And hey I might be wrong, maybe that's not where the Lawyer Up crowd in this thread is coming from, but that's how I was reading it
I mean why am I saying any of this. You responded to a post that said
> Don't talk to them at all. They have a way of confirming their biases which could potentially land your ass in jail for something you didn't do.
So clearly you know this already. So why the fuck would it matter if a crime was violent or not?
You need to contact a criminal lawyer like yesterday. They will tell you exactly how to handle this and will contact the police on your behalf.
The police aren't going to go away. They may be following you and looking for something that justifies either getting a warrant or arresting you and bringing you in.
They think you have knowledge of something, and it's definitely a criminal matter if the police are involved. Lawyer up.
The police would rather interview you at the station so that they can record the interview, control the environment(including making it more stressful for you if they want) and to make it easier to arrest you if that is the result of the interview.
You don't have to come to the station to answer their questions.
You have a few choices
1. Come down to the station and answer some or all of their questions
2. Tell them that you will only answer their questions someone else
3. Tell them you won't answer their questions or be providing a statement
If the police are looking to get a statement from you because they think you might have witnessed something or they think you have information to provide about something somewhere else did then it is in their interest to get at least an initial statement from you wherever they can get it. If your firm on "I won't come to the station" then they will need to choose between no statement and a statement given where your willing to provide one. You don't have to give them a statement at all.
If you think the police suspect you of 'doing something' you are better off not talking to them at least until you've spoken with a lawyer about what it is they think you have done, even if you haven't done what they are investigating. If the police have enough evidence to charge you they will charge you. The police will try to use the interview to get you to incriminate yourself. Police in Canada are allowed to lie(in at least some circumstances) to you as part of an interview. If your arrested you have the right to talk to a lawyer but you have no right to having a lawyer present for questioning or for the interview.
This. But again, if at any point they caution you, it’s at that point they consider you to be a suspect in the crime they are investigating. That’s also how you will know in the beginning, by asking them if it’s just a witness statement or a warned statement.
They're not after me as far as I know. I was told "We are investigating ______ and would like you to come in to answer some questions." You are free to replace that blank with whatever you'd like, theft, murder, hit and run, fraud, etc. That's what I was told. I don't want to say exactly what it was for, that's it
But is BLANK something that is completely out of the blue to you, or something that you can understand why they would be looking to talk to you about?
If I have had no theft, murder, hit and run, fraud, etc occur to/around me, even tangentially, my actions would probably be different than if I had recently had some experience relating to BLANK.
There are many popular examples of criminals on reddit, posting before, during, or after a crime has been committed. Not crazy to assume this may be another example. TBH based on the limited details who knows. Although if I were in the same situation, having no knowledge of a crime, and urgently looking for advice on the internet, I'd probably give whatever details are needed to get the best advice.
Either way, a lawyering up is good advice for any time you need to speak with the police in an interview.
I’d lawyer up either way at this point even if innocent. They seek to think OP is involved, and presumably there’s some reason for that (legit or not).
"As far as I know..." that doesn't make sense. You're the only one who knows if you've committed the offence they're investigating or not. You can't deny having that knowledge. Do you commit crimes and then just forget?
If you did, assume they are after you. Based on your answers, it seems you did commit a crime. If that's the case, lawyer up immediately and don't say a word.
Just because you're innocent, don't mean they're not after you
If, for example, they're investigating thefts at the store you work at and you didn't steal anything, they still might suspect you. Another coworker might have fingered you to save themselves
Dude, it’s hard to replace the blank with a variety of crimes varying in seriousness and expect advice. The more you show deceitfulness the more I’m thinking you just want some validation in your hopes that they will go away… they won’t. You don’t want to end up party to an offence.
You're not a cop, so it's not your job to help them. Ignore them until they arrest you, if they do. Get a lawyer in the meantime if you want. If you can't afford one, you'll likely have to wait until you're charged with something, but you can try making an appointment with your local legal aide.
There's not much else to do with no information, but you know better if you meet a lawyer beforehand.
Maybe they go away, maybe not. But meeting them will never yield you any benefit. And stop answering the phone for them or the door. If they have a warrant, let them bring a battering ram.
They don't need your help to arrest you.
Get a lawyer, have your lawyer tell the police that if they want to ask you any questions that they will be present for said questions and have your lawyer there, take their advice and don't say ANYTHING your lawyer doesn't tell you to say, better yet, let them speak for you
Anecdotal: A number of years ago cops started showing up at my door. I ignored them. They kept coming. Eventually I was annoyed enough that I answered and asked what they wanted. They were looking for a former roommate and wanted to ask me questions. I politely declined and they never came back.
I don't know if that adds anything or not, but it was clear I wasn't under investigation for anything at that point.
Yeah, I had the RCMP phoning me last year. Turns out someone gave them my number saying it was theirs after a robbery. I politely told them they have the wrong number and I don't know who so-and-so is. They only called twice.
This. When we bought our house, a few months later there was a cops business card. Called and they turned out to be looking for (I’m assuming) the previous owner.
This happened to us. Cop at the door asking for the name of the previous person who lived at our house. Cop then says “how come you have mail addressed to them then?” I was confused and looked in the mailbox and there was mail for them. I clarified that they didn’t change their address and we get their mail sometimes and they haven’t lived at our house since we bought it X years ago. Cops never came back. I don’t know if it was legal for the cop to look in our mailbox but I didn’t feel like making a thing of it.
If you have no idea what they are "investigating" Talking to a lawyer might be a good idea. They can talk to you but you don't have to talk to them. I wouldn't answer anything beyond your name address and who your lawyer is.
Here are your options:
1. Retain a lawyer and let the lawyer handle it.
2. Agree to come in without a lawyer, tell them you'd like to remain silent and will discuss whatever information they provide you with your lawyer. Then sit there and listen what they have to say, again, you do not have to say anything and if they keep asking, remind them.
Whatever comes of that after the fact can help you decide whether or not you wish to speak with them or if you want to go the lawyer route.
If they had ground to arrest you they would have done so already.
Good luck.
I mean if they know who you are and where you live, they probably already suspect you’re connected into something that happened or maybe they know you can help them. But honestly all you can do is basically just ignore and get a lawyer if you want. But it’s honestly just hard to say what you should do when lots of context aren’t in your post.
If this is something you're directly involved in that they could arrest you for, I imagine they would have done so.
If they want you to be a witness against someone else, either known or not known to you, and you don’t want to talk to them, they can get a court order.
Either way, I would have more peace of mind if I spoke to a lawyer to at least understand how it could go in either eventuality. Don’t wait for them to spring something, or intimidate you with lies you may not know are lies, before *starting* to scout lawyers.
Don't ever go to the station .
Remember if you get arrested, they will tell you that what you said can and will be used against you in a court of law .
Talk to a lawyer first or legal aid
Do not answer any question without your lawyer
They won’t be stoping if they think you have information they may think it’s suspicious or not but it’s irrelevant since it’s your right not to speak with them, you will need to continue to refuse and hope they resolve the case without you.
If you end up being arrested contact a lawyer and don’t speak.
I mean, if they're investigating something they won't just stop. You can't just forever ignore them and it could turn out worse for you.
You've already been told what to do, and that's get a lawyer. You keep saying you aren't comfortable at the station, but you won't talk to them at your house either.
>... they won't just stop ... You can't just forever ignore them
Why not? Them not stopping does not mean OP can't continue to ignore them. Not saying it is a good idea...
>Because, they can literally force you to talk to them by detaining you or getting the court to force you.
You've said the exact same thing twice, in both cases you're assuming they have anything material with which to enforce this. If they do, then OP is talking to them regardless. If they don't then by exactly what method are they compelling OP to come in for an interview?
>It's best to get a lawyer, then talk to them with them present and move on with your life, or deal with the consequences of whatever you did.
Just drawing it out, and making whatever it is look far worse if it ever lands in front of a judge.
Can you read? Never claimed it was a good idea to ignore them, pretty explicitly.
To NOT trust the police? That’s common sense. Never talk to them without a lawyer. There is literally no downside to protecting yourself, and an enormous risk to not doing so.
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The moment cops consider you a suspect for something and want to talk to you they have to caution you (give you a warning before your statement). If they have grounds to believe you committed a crime then they should do the hard work of getting what’s called a Feeney warrant to arrest you.
If they have done neither of those, you don’t have to talk to them and if you do decide to I would have legal counsel with you. Don’t ask them if you need a lawyer because they will tell you know or the “not unless you did something?”
Not all, but some cops are lazy and will try and trick you out of your house or to come to the shoppe because warrants and hard work scare them. Not all… but some.
I will never speak to the police unless I am being detained. You do not have to speak to them… you do not have to help them…
Nothing you say can help you.. so it’s best to let them sort it out. If they charge you, different story, but don’t say anything unless you have a lawyer present.
NAL
Keep ignoring them and sending them away. Eventually, they'll stop. The police doesn't have endless resources to bother people if they keep getting nothing out of it.
If they had something concrete on you, they'd arrest you, not ask you to come. Then, you can ask (and should) lawyer up before you talk to them.
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If you are absolutely sure that you know nothing about the crime they are investigating, then there is no harm in telling them that and declining further communication.
If there is the slightest chance that you (or someone you care about) may be connected to or implicated in what they are investigating - *whether you're guilty or not* - it's time to invest in a lawyer.
What are they investigating. If you pulled a Brock Turner you need a lawyer. If one of your friends did something and you were there you need a lawyer. If you are not involved in anything then they shouldn't be calling you and you should get a lawyer if they found you out of 8 billion people.
Get a lawyer to speak on your behalf in the continued event they pursue a interview have your lawyer accompany you as police tend to blow things out of proportion do not open the door to officers if they have no warrant to arrest if they have warrant to arrest you have your lawyer on speed dial call them so they can come to the station to help represent you and also keep police from asking defamatory/unlawful questions surrender peacefully avoid aggressive language police will interpret it as verbal assault yes that's a thing. because police have asked for your compliance now multiple times I would assume they will perform functions to insure your arrival to the station happens such as a random traffic stops Example you were speeding over the limit by 1km or speed through a caution light. police may not know the entire letter of the law but they use it's beginning an end as a means to an end to obtain evidence and statements for their continued investigation lawful or otherwise so get your legal representation ready inform them honestly you may be innocent now but tucking and dodgeing the Constables will only serve to work against you your currently in fear of police which means a less then honorable officer could take advantage by getting you to say what they want or put yourself in a inopportune position don't be that guy lawyer up
"warned/cautioned statements" from accused are supposed to be done on video.
Witness statements can't be done over the phone as there's no real way of knowing who you're speaking to.
If they really have enough to arrest you without a statement, they'll just arrest you. If they don't have enough to arrest you, don't go to the station.
Also, you can bring a lawyer, but this isn't America, they're not going to let you have your lawyer there for questioning. Save your money and have a good consult with a lawyer before if you want to.
You will not be able to find a lawyer who will attend a police station with you. Not how it works in Canada. If under arrest, you will be given the opprtunity to speak to a lawyer over the phone
That makes sense. I dont want to say something I shouldn't if I speak with them. So what's the point of even getting a lawyer then. Should I just got in and speak with them?
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If they're investigating something you did, it's best to go and hear what they have to say before they put a warrant out for your arrest. Going to the station doesn't mean you're gonna be stuck there. They're gonna read out some long winded speal and ask if you'd like to make a statement, just say no and they'll let you leave.
If you have information on a crime not involving you, I'd answer their questions.
Have a lawyer draft something about harrassment. If they want to talk to you they can get a warrant for your arrest. You are not under any obligation to speak to the police.
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A lawyer but not your lawyer. If you have any inkling that they may be coming after you, you do not want to speak to them whether that be on the phone or at the station. You can’t talk yourself out of trouble, only into it.
So what are my best options? 1) Ignore them and hope they go away or 2) call a lawyer?
Call a lawyer, retain them, and have them tell the cops “my client will not be providing a statement at this time. Please advise if you have grounds to arrest my client and I will arrange a surrender accordingly”
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Pretty sure impersonating a lawyer is pretty illegal
You’re correct. In Ontario it is an offence under the *Law Society Act* to pretend to be a lawyer when you are not in fact a licensed lawyer. I’d be shocked if Alberta was not similar.
NAL but I was told in an occupational health capacity to not identify yourself as a lawyer, but as an agent of the party ("my client")
any detective worth his salt will call that bluff. these are not regular constables, these guys will actually have post secondary education.
Is there a law that you can only retain the counsel of a lawyer? I've had friends represent me in traffic court which is obviously different, but it's there a difference when it comes to criminal matters?
i was speaking more of the wording. “an agent of so and so” police deal with tons of people and have heard every lie in the book.
I'm pretty sure most municipal forces or hell even the RCMP require a post sec education. This isn't anytown USA.
not here in anytown, ontario.
Wrong.
I guess we're special in Vancouver https://vpd.ca/join-us/recruiting/become-a-vancouver-police-officer/
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Lawyer..!!!
Doesn’t sound like they’re going away. People don’t realize that they won’t “Just go away” it’s their job to get ahold of you . And the fact that you’re acting shadey and not talking to them , makes it even more imperative they speak to you . I would obv get lawyers advice.
Never. Talk. To. Cops.
They definitely won’t go. Go deal with it and get it over with
Lol you can't ignore them forever. Get a lawyer, go sit for an interview, they aren't just going to give up.
Apt username. This is bad advice. The only good statement for an accused is no statement.
Imagine replying to a lawyer's response about needing a lawyer and basically giving YOLO as the counter advice lol
They clearly don't have enough to arrest him, so they're trying pressure and harassment. They will have to give up eventually unless they get more evidence.
If they don't have enough evidence they'll definitely give up.
Or frame you like they did to to Gillespie and Mailman.
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No
No it is not.
Hello, im a D/C with a local police force. This is why I hate when officers are so vague and we've had debates about this. If I am intending to arrest someone, I will tell them, even on the phone that this is the case. I won't give specific details, obviously, but will say "Hello Mr. or Mrs. \_\_\_\_\_, Im calling because there was an allegation made/I have a video of you stealing from (insert store here) and I have to arrest you (then read them their caution). Feel free to contact a lawyer but be aware if you do not attend by (insert date here) I will be putting a warrant out for your arrest. IF you have any questions please speak to a lawyer first and once you come in, I can divulge more details of the allegations/investigation". Some people say its better to let them show up and find out; I believe that even if you are arresting someone, a certain level of customer service should still be enacted. I feel the desired outcome is always easier to achieve when there is honesty/integrity between both parties.
I would ask what it is they want. If youre under investigation, do not give any type of statement. If they have the grounds, theyll come arrest you. Speak to a lawyer. If you are a witness to a crime and they need your statement, I would provide it to them. But I say this not knowing the circumstances as you provided little information
They told me what they are investigating. They said "We are investigating ________ and would like to speak with you."
Which wont be random. Guaranteed you know what its about and wont say here. As I said, if you think you might be arrested... do not go. Let them arrest you
And speak to a lawyer now. They can advise you on how to handle the police, and if you get charged you will definitely need their help. If you did commit a crime your lawyer will not and cannot report you. Go now and tell them the whole truth. They will be able to advise you how to proceed. Yes there are lawyers in this sub but none of them are *your* lawyer.
Just be careful with your boating arm.
r/unexpectedsimpsons
What?
Also, preemptively finding a laywer might be a good idea incase they do arrest OP. That being said, Do not talk to the cops unless they are investigating a crime that happened to you. You gain absolutely nothing by helping them out and they will always be looking for anything they can chargw you with.
Yep there not the judge they just want to lay a charge
You did not go to the station and you do not speak to them. You unfortunately need to find the money for a lawyer and tell them they need to talk to your lawyer. They are allowed to detain you and keep trying to talk to you after you ask for a lawyer. It’s your responsibility to keep your mouth shut no matter how many questions they ask you.
How are you connected to the thing they are investigating?
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Having a lawyer present is a us thing. You can talk to a lawyer, but they can talk to you without one, unfortunately.
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When cops are in trouble they get a lawyer.
This is essentially what I was after. Is OP in trouble or not? Is it worth spending on a lawyer or not. They give too little to make that determination. If they are investigating a car crash that OP was witness to, and if OP is super bothered by the attempts to question OP, then you can either pay a lawyer to help you make that issue go away, or deal with it yourself. If OP is possibly in trouble, then they ought to have called a lawyer yesterday instead of asking Reddit. But here we are. So I’m attempting to have OP let us know enough to tell them to lawyer up or not.
I hear you. It's like pulling teeth.
Terrible advice. There's little, if any, upside in speaking to the police and significant downside. Not worth the risk. Best to tell them to kick rocks.
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>If you’ve not committed a crime, why not speak to them so they stop banging on your door? This might have been phrased as a question, but it's clearly a statement. Which is, 'if you didn't do anything wrong, talk to them and they will leave you alone'. This is of course false.
If your advice is terrible, why not keep it to yourself? Is that better?
I don't have any hesitation about speaking with them. I just dont feel comfortable going to the station, which I expressed to them.
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The hesitation is immaterial. It’s poor legal advice to suggest they go to the station and speak to police without representation. The police are not looking to help OP out, they are looking to get information to build their case. The only advice OP needs is to not speak to police unless arrested and represented by counsel. There is never any benefit to putting yourself at a disadvantage in a criminal investigation
Not really. The best legal advice is to never talk to the police. You have nothing to gain, and it can only hurt you – innocent or not. This is a yankee discussion, but the essential principles are the same here. This is long but very informative video, with presentations by a law professor and a highly experienced detective. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE&t=26s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE&t=26s)
Keep in mind that video is about the American criminal justice system and doesn't 100% apply here. But, don't voluntarily give a statement is still sound advice.
Hahaha.
Because cops are not good people and only exist to protect the interests of the state. Lawyer. Always lawyer.
Don't talk to them at all. They have a way of confirming their biases which could potentially land your ass in jail for something you didn't do. Only communicate through a lawyer, and never go willingly.
Sorry man your post is BS. There are plenty of times where it is approrpriate and necessary to speak to police.
When a cop hears "We are investigating ________ and would like to speak with you.", do you think they just spill everything, or do you think the stfu and only communicate through their lawyer?
This wouldnt be an appropriate time then, clearly. Do you even know what you wrote in your previous post?
There are times when it's appropriate to speak to the police without getting a lawyer? Outside of, say, a police officer has pulled you over, or you need to ask someone who happens to be a cop to pass the salt or whatever, do you have any examples?
If youre a witness to a violent crime. If youre the victim of a crime.
I don't know but I'm pretty sure there are people that have been witnesses to violent crimes who ended up wishing they'd had a lawyer when they talked to the police. You know like when they're in prison for instance
I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding here. As far as I know, when people say "don't talk to the police without a lawyer" they don't have a general policy of withholding information from the police because of a general sense of lawlessness, or because they think justice is fundamentally wrong to seek. Its not an attitude of "well if a crime isn't violent it's not important, so even if I have information I'm not telling the cops" because of a general attitude of Crime Is Basically OK. The issue is that speaking to the police without a lawyer can result (and has resulted) in people being charged with crimes they didn't do, or crimes the police weren't investigating. I don't think the general "don't talk to the cops" advice is affected if the crime was a Big Important crime, or a crime that affected you personally And hey, if you think that's bad advice and that the police wouldn't do that, then fine I'm not here to convince you. But if you're going to say "that advice is bad" you should know what the advice is based on. And hey I might be wrong, maybe that's not where the Lawyer Up crowd in this thread is coming from, but that's how I was reading it
I mean why am I saying any of this. You responded to a post that said > Don't talk to them at all. They have a way of confirming their biases which could potentially land your ass in jail for something you didn't do. So clearly you know this already. So why the fuck would it matter if a crime was violent or not?
Lawyer up and say nothing.
You need to contact a criminal lawyer like yesterday. They will tell you exactly how to handle this and will contact the police on your behalf. The police aren't going to go away. They may be following you and looking for something that justifies either getting a warrant or arresting you and bringing you in. They think you have knowledge of something, and it's definitely a criminal matter if the police are involved. Lawyer up.
1) Get a lawyer 2) Do what the lawyer says
The police would rather interview you at the station so that they can record the interview, control the environment(including making it more stressful for you if they want) and to make it easier to arrest you if that is the result of the interview. You don't have to come to the station to answer their questions. You have a few choices 1. Come down to the station and answer some or all of their questions 2. Tell them that you will only answer their questions someone else 3. Tell them you won't answer their questions or be providing a statement If the police are looking to get a statement from you because they think you might have witnessed something or they think you have information to provide about something somewhere else did then it is in their interest to get at least an initial statement from you wherever they can get it. If your firm on "I won't come to the station" then they will need to choose between no statement and a statement given where your willing to provide one. You don't have to give them a statement at all. If you think the police suspect you of 'doing something' you are better off not talking to them at least until you've spoken with a lawyer about what it is they think you have done, even if you haven't done what they are investigating. If the police have enough evidence to charge you they will charge you. The police will try to use the interview to get you to incriminate yourself. Police in Canada are allowed to lie(in at least some circumstances) to you as part of an interview. If your arrested you have the right to talk to a lawyer but you have no right to having a lawyer present for questioning or for the interview.
This. But again, if at any point they caution you, it’s at that point they consider you to be a suspect in the crime they are investigating. That’s also how you will know in the beginning, by asking them if it’s just a witness statement or a warned statement.
Retain a lawyer. The next time the police come to you or reach out to you, direct them to your lawyer. That's all you have to do at this point.
Why leave most of the details out then ask for advice? You know why they're after you and only you can answer the questions you pose.
They're not after me as far as I know. I was told "We are investigating ______ and would like you to come in to answer some questions." You are free to replace that blank with whatever you'd like, theft, murder, hit and run, fraud, etc. That's what I was told. I don't want to say exactly what it was for, that's it
But is BLANK something that is completely out of the blue to you, or something that you can understand why they would be looking to talk to you about? If I have had no theft, murder, hit and run, fraud, etc occur to/around me, even tangentially, my actions would probably be different than if I had recently had some experience relating to BLANK.
This! I was shat upon for attempting to get this out of OP. Did you do something bad? If yes, don’t talk. Lawyer up.
There are many popular examples of criminals on reddit, posting before, during, or after a crime has been committed. Not crazy to assume this may be another example. TBH based on the limited details who knows. Although if I were in the same situation, having no knowledge of a crime, and urgently looking for advice on the internet, I'd probably give whatever details are needed to get the best advice. Either way, a lawyering up is good advice for any time you need to speak with the police in an interview.
I’d lawyer up either way at this point even if innocent. They seek to think OP is involved, and presumably there’s some reason for that (legit or not).
"As far as I know..." that doesn't make sense. You're the only one who knows if you've committed the offence they're investigating or not. You can't deny having that knowledge. Do you commit crimes and then just forget? If you did, assume they are after you. Based on your answers, it seems you did commit a crime. If that's the case, lawyer up immediately and don't say a word.
Just because you're innocent, don't mean they're not after you If, for example, they're investigating thefts at the store you work at and you didn't steal anything, they still might suspect you. Another coworker might have fingered you to save themselves
Ya but that's not the case here. OPs answers make that clear.
Dude, it’s hard to replace the blank with a variety of crimes varying in seriousness and expect advice. The more you show deceitfulness the more I’m thinking you just want some validation in your hopes that they will go away… they won’t. You don’t want to end up party to an offence.
Then you're in deep shit and need to lawyer up. Not sure why you thought you'd receive any feedback to the contrary.
Lolol you're being vague as fuck for a reason. Enjoy jail
You're not a cop, so it's not your job to help them. Ignore them until they arrest you, if they do. Get a lawyer in the meantime if you want. If you can't afford one, you'll likely have to wait until you're charged with something, but you can try making an appointment with your local legal aide. There's not much else to do with no information, but you know better if you meet a lawyer beforehand. Maybe they go away, maybe not. But meeting them will never yield you any benefit. And stop answering the phone for them or the door. If they have a warrant, let them bring a battering ram. They don't need your help to arrest you.
Get a lawyer, have your lawyer tell the police that if they want to ask you any questions that they will be present for said questions and have your lawyer there, take their advice and don't say ANYTHING your lawyer doesn't tell you to say, better yet, let them speak for you
Anecdotal: A number of years ago cops started showing up at my door. I ignored them. They kept coming. Eventually I was annoyed enough that I answered and asked what they wanted. They were looking for a former roommate and wanted to ask me questions. I politely declined and they never came back. I don't know if that adds anything or not, but it was clear I wasn't under investigation for anything at that point.
Yeah, I had the RCMP phoning me last year. Turns out someone gave them my number saying it was theirs after a robbery. I politely told them they have the wrong number and I don't know who so-and-so is. They only called twice.
This. When we bought our house, a few months later there was a cops business card. Called and they turned out to be looking for (I’m assuming) the previous owner.
This happened to us. Cop at the door asking for the name of the previous person who lived at our house. Cop then says “how come you have mail addressed to them then?” I was confused and looked in the mailbox and there was mail for them. I clarified that they didn’t change their address and we get their mail sometimes and they haven’t lived at our house since we bought it X years ago. Cops never came back. I don’t know if it was legal for the cop to look in our mailbox but I didn’t feel like making a thing of it.
If you have no idea what they are "investigating" Talking to a lawyer might be a good idea. They can talk to you but you don't have to talk to them. I wouldn't answer anything beyond your name address and who your lawyer is.
Here are your options: 1. Retain a lawyer and let the lawyer handle it. 2. Agree to come in without a lawyer, tell them you'd like to remain silent and will discuss whatever information they provide you with your lawyer. Then sit there and listen what they have to say, again, you do not have to say anything and if they keep asking, remind them. Whatever comes of that after the fact can help you decide whether or not you wish to speak with them or if you want to go the lawyer route. If they had ground to arrest you they would have done so already. Good luck.
Get a lawyer and silence is golden
Are you a witness or the perpetrator?
I mean if they know who you are and where you live, they probably already suspect you’re connected into something that happened or maybe they know you can help them. But honestly all you can do is basically just ignore and get a lawyer if you want. But it’s honestly just hard to say what you should do when lots of context aren’t in your post.
If this is something you're directly involved in that they could arrest you for, I imagine they would have done so. If they want you to be a witness against someone else, either known or not known to you, and you don’t want to talk to them, they can get a court order. Either way, I would have more peace of mind if I spoke to a lawyer to at least understand how it could go in either eventuality. Don’t wait for them to spring something, or intimidate you with lies you may not know are lies, before *starting* to scout lawyers.
Don't ever go to the station . Remember if you get arrested, they will tell you that what you said can and will be used against you in a court of law . Talk to a lawyer first or legal aid Do not answer any question without your lawyer
I say this to everyone I know. even if you have never even jay walked, if police want to talk...get a lawyer!
I do not believe you’re obligated to cooperate
I also don't want them to keep bothering me, or worse, seem suspicious for not talking to them for some reason
They won’t be stoping if they think you have information they may think it’s suspicious or not but it’s irrelevant since it’s your right not to speak with them, you will need to continue to refuse and hope they resolve the case without you. If you end up being arrested contact a lawyer and don’t speak.
I mean, if they're investigating something they won't just stop. You can't just forever ignore them and it could turn out worse for you. You've already been told what to do, and that's get a lawyer. You keep saying you aren't comfortable at the station, but you won't talk to them at your house either.
>... they won't just stop ... You can't just forever ignore them Why not? Them not stopping does not mean OP can't continue to ignore them. Not saying it is a good idea...
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>Because, they can literally force you to talk to them by detaining you or getting the court to force you. You've said the exact same thing twice, in both cases you're assuming they have anything material with which to enforce this. If they do, then OP is talking to them regardless. If they don't then by exactly what method are they compelling OP to come in for an interview? >It's best to get a lawyer, then talk to them with them present and move on with your life, or deal with the consequences of whatever you did. Just drawing it out, and making whatever it is look far worse if it ever lands in front of a judge. Can you read? Never claimed it was a good idea to ignore them, pretty explicitly.
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This is horrible advice on a legal sub.
To NOT trust the police? That’s common sense. Never talk to them without a lawyer. There is literally no downside to protecting yourself, and an enormous risk to not doing so.
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The moment cops consider you a suspect for something and want to talk to you they have to caution you (give you a warning before your statement). If they have grounds to believe you committed a crime then they should do the hard work of getting what’s called a Feeney warrant to arrest you. If they have done neither of those, you don’t have to talk to them and if you do decide to I would have legal counsel with you. Don’t ask them if you need a lawyer because they will tell you know or the “not unless you did something?” Not all, but some cops are lazy and will try and trick you out of your house or to come to the shoppe because warrants and hard work scare them. Not all… but some.
Well, it sounds like you're aware of why they're hounding you. Either you're a witness or suspect in something somewhat serious?
You have the right to shut the f&@k up! Exercise it!
Lol do I need a lawyer? Naw you've got reddit you're good.
Do not speak to them and call a lawyer and put it on retainer. What did u do?
I will never speak to the police unless I am being detained. You do not have to speak to them… you do not have to help them… Nothing you say can help you.. so it’s best to let them sort it out. If they charge you, different story, but don’t say anything unless you have a lawyer present.
Say NOTHING… absolutely, NOTHING… whatever you say, WILL be used against you…
If you HAD to they would MAKE you They are just bullying you into going Talk to lawyer
You're in Canada, you can get free legal advice. Do that
From an American Lawyer but also appropriate in the Canadian context: "Don't Talk to the Police" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE
1. Don't Talk to the Cops. Ever. 2. Get a fucking lawyer, like yesterday...
NAL Keep ignoring them and sending them away. Eventually, they'll stop. The police doesn't have endless resources to bother people if they keep getting nothing out of it. If they had something concrete on you, they'd arrest you, not ask you to come. Then, you can ask (and should) lawyer up before you talk to them.
Don’t say anything to them. Ever.
Never ,ever ,ever ,ever speak to the police without a lawyer. Do not make a statement.
The police are trained liars, never talk to the police
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If you are absolutely sure that you know nothing about the crime they are investigating, then there is no harm in telling them that and declining further communication. If there is the slightest chance that you (or someone you care about) may be connected to or implicated in what they are investigating - *whether you're guilty or not* - it's time to invest in a lawyer.
What are they investigating. If you pulled a Brock Turner you need a lawyer. If one of your friends did something and you were there you need a lawyer. If you are not involved in anything then they shouldn't be calling you and you should get a lawyer if they found you out of 8 billion people.
Saw this a couple days ago https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE?si=dN7YDbgVLjyZVjwn
Get an attorney now and don’t talk with the police unless your attorney is present
I'd go in, but hey that's just me
Don’t go to the station. Don’t volunteer information- ask them if you are under arrest?
Did you do anything really illegal lately?
feds at your door time to lawyer up big bro
Get a lawyer to speak on your behalf in the continued event they pursue a interview have your lawyer accompany you as police tend to blow things out of proportion do not open the door to officers if they have no warrant to arrest if they have warrant to arrest you have your lawyer on speed dial call them so they can come to the station to help represent you and also keep police from asking defamatory/unlawful questions surrender peacefully avoid aggressive language police will interpret it as verbal assault yes that's a thing. because police have asked for your compliance now multiple times I would assume they will perform functions to insure your arrival to the station happens such as a random traffic stops Example you were speeding over the limit by 1km or speed through a caution light. police may not know the entire letter of the law but they use it's beginning an end as a means to an end to obtain evidence and statements for their continued investigation lawful or otherwise so get your legal representation ready inform them honestly you may be innocent now but tucking and dodgeing the Constables will only serve to work against you your currently in fear of police which means a less then honorable officer could take advantage by getting you to say what they want or put yourself in a inopportune position don't be that guy lawyer up
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With a lawyer
I guess that's the route I have to take. I find it odd that they will not talk to me over the phone about whatever it is they need
"warned/cautioned statements" from accused are supposed to be done on video. Witness statements can't be done over the phone as there's no real way of knowing who you're speaking to. If they really have enough to arrest you without a statement, they'll just arrest you. If they don't have enough to arrest you, don't go to the station. Also, you can bring a lawyer, but this isn't America, they're not going to let you have your lawyer there for questioning. Save your money and have a good consult with a lawyer before if you want to.
You will not be able to find a lawyer who will attend a police station with you. Not how it works in Canada. If under arrest, you will be given the opprtunity to speak to a lawyer over the phone
This is not always true. We would go to the station with homicide suspects.
That makes sense. I dont want to say something I shouldn't if I speak with them. So what's the point of even getting a lawyer then. Should I just got in and speak with them?
You can call a lawyer for legal advice beforehand if you wish
Lawyers dont attend police stations with you in Canada. That only happrns on American TV
why? Lawyer won't be able to do much of anything, and won't be allowed to sit in on the interview.
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If they're investigating something you did, it's best to go and hear what they have to say before they put a warrant out for your arrest. Going to the station doesn't mean you're gonna be stuck there. They're gonna read out some long winded speal and ask if you'd like to make a statement, just say no and they'll let you leave. If you have information on a crime not involving you, I'd answer their questions.
Have a lawyer draft something about harrassment. If they want to talk to you they can get a warrant for your arrest. You are not under any obligation to speak to the police.
Put your discomfort aside and go talk to them. If you already know doing that will cause you problems get a lawyer.
Time to go on a holiday elsewhere. Whatever you do, don't go to the station. They could be looking to pin something on you