Should I Listen to Legal Advice from a Police Officer?
When it comes to police officer encounters, you will have one of two situations. The police officer who does not offer you any advice or even talk to you or the police officer that has all the legal advice you could ask for. However, should you listen to that advice?
Why You Should Never Listen to Legal Advice from a Police Officer
When you are arrested, you will have one of the two police officers above. If you do have the nice officer, you may be more inclined to talk. This also means that you could be making statements without realizing it. For example, you could admit that you have drank more than initially stated. Many people look at this and see a good cop bad cop situation.
Do not ever take legal advice from a police officer. That police officer that is nice to you is not your friend. He will be at your court date. However, he will be on the stand testifying against you. He must have a reason for his arrest of you. He is going to do everything in his power to justify arresting you.
Many police officers will also state that you should plead guilty to your charge without an attorney present. That is also something that you should never listen to. You need to make sure that you always have a defense attorney by your side if you are facing any type of charges. We are going to take a look at some more reasons why you should not listen to a police officer for legal advice! Keep reading to learn why you should hire a defense attorney for legal advice.
The Reasons You Should Never Take Legal Advice From A Cop
The Police Can’t/Will not Help You
While you may think you can get out of trouble, you cannot talk your way out of serious problems that have happened. No matter how good you are with your words or how smart you believe you are, you are going to have an insanely challenging time convincing them you are innocent when you are guilty.
Plus, if there are statements that are good on your part, you cannot access them. These records are not able to be put into evidence because it is considered hearsay. In this situation there is not a reason to talk to the police.
Confessing Guilt to An Officer Will not Help You
When you get pulled over or arrested for anything, you may feel like it might be time to confess your guilt. However, there will be plenty of time for that later. Do not rush this. You want to first hire an attorney before you speak about anything.
An attorney will be able to work with you and your statement to help you win. Keep in mind that if you confess to the police officer, you are going to have a harder time winning the case. It is important to note that if the police officer does not appear for court and there is not a confession, the case will be dropped! While this may not always be the case, it would happen more than you think!
Innocence Can Be Questioned if Statements Are Taken
When you are involved with something or someone that may have legal action happening, you want to give a statement if you are innocent. That is not what you want to do. You should avoid giving a statement to avoid accidentally exaggerating your statement. This could result in you getting in trouble for telling a lie that was a mistake. The lie could destroy your credibility in court for the person you are trying to help.
Statements Cannot Be Exchanged for a Deal
Police officers are not allowed or authorized to make any deals such as plea agreements or immunity, for a statement. The only person who can grant any deal is the county, state, or federal government courts.
A police officer may inform you that they have the ability to cut you a deal, but they do not have that power. They are able to lie without getting in trouble. Again, do not give a statement because an officer offers you a deal. This deal will never hold up in court and you will admit guilt. Hire an attorney to ensure that you are not making any mistakes along the way.
Do Not Talk Even If Guilty- Could Incriminate Yourself More
If you are guilty and you know you are guilty, still do not state that you are guilty. This is going to ensure that your case is not going to win. While you may be guilty, there may be mitigating circumstances that would lessen your charge. Hiring an attorney can ensure that you are getting the lesser of the sentence.
An attorney will take your statement and any others that were made. They will look at all the evidence and try to determine the best possible route to take to ensure that you are getting the lesser charge.
It Is Hard to Tell the Same Story Twice – Even if Innocent
When you are innocent, you can still mess up minute details in a story that will ruin your credibility. If you tell the police a statement and then you go to trial and the statements are different, it could be a problem. This will ruin your credibility.
If you go to court without making a statement, there is nothing to contradict what you have said on the stand. This means that there will be no cross-examination and you will have better odds at winning your case.
Wrapping Up: Should I Take Legal Advice From A Police Officer?
You should never listen to any legal advice from a police officer. You should always hire a defense attorney to help you with any legal troubles. A police officer does not know all the legalities behind the law. That is where an attorney can help you. Take the time to contact a good attorney today to ensure that you are well cared for. Never speak to a police officer. However, do not ever be rude or disrespectful to an officer. That will be another charge. Be polite and tell them that you would like an attorney present before speaking.
Rather than speaking to a cop for legal advice, hire a criminal defense attorney if you are facing any type of crime. Barkemeyer Law Firm has several locations in Louisiana and is a skilled criminal defense attorney who can help you with a DWI, drug charges, and any other type of criminal issues you may be facing. Contact him for more information on his services and legal practice areas.
You should now better understand your question should I take legal advice from a police officer.
