Incident Interview

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Incident Interview

• Cpl D. Gurzynski Baton Rogue Police Dept.

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Define Interview

• Dictionary
• A conversation in which facts or statements are
  elicited from another.

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Purpose of an Interview

• To gather and test the validity of information in
  order to determine the particulars of the event
  under investigation.
• To identify other witnesses, suspects and victims.

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Subjects of an Interview

• Victims
• Witnesses
• Complainant person that contacts officials.
• Eyewitnesses people who saw what happened.
• No direct knowledge of crime
• Firearms dealer that sells gun to murderer.
• Expert Witnesses
• Psychologist, fingerprint technician, CSI
• Suspects (??)
• And

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Interviewer(You)

• Characteristics of a good Interviewer
• Listen and concentrate on what is being said
• Polite
• Good physical appearance
• Controls emotions (dont get angry)
• Flexible and persistent
• Sympathetic to suspect situation
• Verbal and non verbal

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Interrogaton vs. Interview(Investigative
Interview)

• INTERROGATION
• Public perception
• Media driven
• Abu Ghurayb Prison
• Television
• Interview or Investigative Interview
• For reports, media releases, court testimony.

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Open Ended Questions

• Questions designed to prompt the suspect or
  witness to give a narrative response rather than
  just a yes or no answer.

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Close Ended Questions

• Used to get specific responses, usually to
  clarify information provided during narrative
  responses to open ended questions.
• identification questions
• What color was his hat? Shirt?
• How fast were you driving?
• What kind of car was she driving?

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• Multiple choice questions
• Was the car a four door or two door?
• Was the suspect running or walking when he left
  the house?
• Yes-No Questions
• Were you in the house when this occurred?
• Do you own a gun?
• Did you point the gun at him?
• Dont Forget
• Did you do it?
• hurt you wife?
• force her to have sex?
• take the money?

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Deception Indicators

• Non-Verbal (Body Language)
• When a person experiences conflict, they become
  tense.
• Increase in tension makes them become unstable.
• To reduce tension, they have to expend the
  energy.
• Movement is the best way to expend energy in
  order to reduce tension.

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Non-Verbal Indicators

• Truthful person
• Appears at ease
• Good eye contact
• Sincere expressions
• Sits upright/leans forward
• Sits still or changes position smoothly
• Arms opened
• Attentive and alert

• Deceptive Person
• Appears anxious
• Very rigid
• Poor eye contact
• Posture changes
• Slouches
• Nervous movements
• Dry mouth, swallowing
• Crossed arms
• Covers mouth
• Feet tucked under chair
• Yawns, signs
• Blinking
• Scratching, twisting hair, rubbing, etc.

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Verbal Indicators

• Hedgers
• Leaving themselves an out
• To the best of my knowledge, as far as I know
• I dont think so, to the best of my memory
• Ex To the best of my knowledge, Ive never been
• In that neighborhood. WDA
• Modifiers
• Pretty much, kinda, about, Thats about it
• Basically, probably, maybe
• Lack of conviction to their statement

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• Qualifiers
• Emotional enlistments
• I swear to God
• I swear on my mothers grave
• To tell you the truth
• Honestly, Truthfully, Frankly, Really
• Lie to follow
• General Rule
• If the answer to your question is either yes or
  no and you get anything else WDA
• Wrong Damn Answer!!!
• You should explore why is subject/suspect being
  deceptive?

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Bill Clinton Interview

• Reporter
• Have you ever used drugs?
• Clinton
• I never violated any law of my country. WDA
• 30 days later same reporter
• Reporter
• Did you ever violate any laws of any other
  country?
• Clinton
• In England I smoked marijuana, but I didnt
  inhale.

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Timothy McVeigh

• Newsweek This is the question that everyone
  want to know- Did you do it?
• McVeigh The only way we can really answer that
  is that we are going to plead not guilty.
• Newsweek But youve got a chance right now to
  say, Hell no!
• McVeigh We cant do that.

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Emotional Enlistment

• Wife ask, Are you cheating on me?
• Husband, Honey, I love you, why would any man do
  anything to mess that up.
• WDA
• Father to son, How did that scratch, get on the
  car?
• Son, to tell the truth, I didnt even notice
  it.
• WDA

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Deception

• Two Forms
• Concealment
• Leave stuff out, just dont say it.
• Easiest to do, hardest to detect
• But, more readily forgiven
• Falsify
• Have to construct a lie
• Causes more tension
• Easiest to detect
• Deception Clues Verbal and Non Verbal
• Mistake will reveal the truth

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• Jim Lehrer You had no sexual relationship with
  this young women?
• Bill Clinton There is not a sexual
  relationship.
• Jim Lehrer You had no conversations with this
  young woman, Monica Lewinsky, about her
  testimony, possible testimony, beforein giving a
  deposition?
• Bill Clinton I did not urge anyone to saying
  anything that was untrue.

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Stalling Method

• Used to buy time to decide on whether to tell the
  truth or lie and what lie.
• Repeats the questions verbatim
• Rephrases the question
• Did I break in that house?
• Responds with another question (Who me?)
• Clears his/her throat
• Ask for the question to be repeated
• Laughs, stutters, uh..uh, I..I..I.

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The Blamer

• Uses offensive statements to get you off of him.
• You calling me a liar?
• She told you that I did this?
• Are you accusing me?
• Take away his stinger Should I be?

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Honorable Associations

• You ask anybody, they will tell you that I dont
  steal.
• I go to church every Sunday, Im a Christian.
• My mom gives me anything I want.
• God as my witness
• Ive been here for 18 years and have never been
  accused of taking anything.

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Ways to Say No Yes

• 5 second NOoooooo, No, No, No
• No followed by crossing arms or legs
• No followed by breaking or making eye contact
• No before question is finished
• Breathless No
• No, followed by ?, Why would I?
• No, followed by, hedger I dont think so.

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Othellos Error

• If person telling the truth and they perceive
  that you dont believe them, they will show you
  the same stress shifts as a deceptive person.
• Truthful person will exhibit same signs as a
  deceptive person.
• Use indicator question What if I told you I
  dont believe you?

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Interrogation Techniques/Themes

• Direct Accusation
• Blame
• Accomplice
• Emotional
• Minimizing the Consequences
• Baiting
• Bluffing
• Overwhelming Evidence

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Direct Accusation

• Approach with folder or notepad closed.
• Video tapes (be careful if bluffing)
• Jim, our investigations shows that youre the
  one that committed this crime.
• Wait a couple of seconds and read his reaction
• I know what happened now I have to find out Why,
  because its important to you and how you want to
  look.
• Truthful will give a strong denial, there is no
  why
• Deceptive weak or no denial, Who me?

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Theme or Tactic

• Persuasion Phase of the Interrogation
• Move in close and present theme
• Stop denials
• Hold on if you didnt do anything wrong, you
  dont have anything to worry about, but if you
  made a mistake or did something you shouldnt
  have, you need to decide how you want to look?
• Hold on, I want you to just listen to me for a
  minute and let me explain a few things, before
  you say anything.

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Blame Theme

• Puts Blame on someone or something else besides
  the suspect
• Wife always yelling and screaming, daring you
• The bills, kids need clothes, your not a thief,
  you were just trying to help out your family
• If it werent for the gambling (drugs, alcohol,
  etc.) you would have never done this.

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Accomplice

• Multiple suspects
• Divide them and conquer
• You couldnt of done this by yourself, Roy is
  telling us that this was your idea, I dont
  believe that, but I got to hear that from you.
• I know Roy is your friend, but right now your in
  the hot seat and you got to think about yourself
  and how this is gonna effect you.
• To tell on one is to confess.

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Emotional

• How is this going to effect your family?
• Think about your son and when he does something
  wrong.
• The truth is the quickest way to get back to your
  family.
• How is this going to effect your poor mama?
• Your little baby girl (her name if you know it),
  needs her mama at home?

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Minimizing the Consequences

• You be the judge
• If you had to decide on what to do with the
  person that did this, which person would you be
  more likely to give a break to
• The liar who despite all the evidence hasnt come
  to terms with what he has done.
• Looks like a thief, career criminal, etc.
• Or the person who just made a mistake and wants
  to do the right thing

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Baiting

• Question asked that implies the possible
  existence of incriminating evidence for the
  purpose of enticing the suspect to consider
  changing his denials
• Finger prints, eyewitnesses, footprints
• Video cameras
• DNA
• CSI

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Bluffing

• Indicating you have evidence that you dont.
  -Very risky
• We have your fingerprints all over.
• Suspect was wearing gloves or didnt go where you
  say you have prints.
• You could loose your credibility
• Frazier vs. Cupp
• US Supreme Court approved the use of trickery and
  deceit.
• You can lie as long at it does not shock the
  conscience of the court or community

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Overwhelming Evidence

• Bombard the suspect with confirmed solid evidence
  that you have.
• Count it out on your fingers
• This looks really bad for you
• Show him picture of himself and ask him who it
  is.
• Criticize his sloppy work
• You left so much evidence

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Alternatives

• When signs of surrender begin to appear
• Feeling Channel
• Decision to tell the truth or not
• Where you want them
• Suspect lowers his eyes and head
• He may have accepted his guilt and is thinking
  about admitting to what he has done.
• Possible tears (no tissues, let it flow)
• Move in close
• Give him alternative between acceptable and
  unacceptable reason for committing the crime
• Ask for Confession
• Just tell me what happened

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Corroborate Confession

• Once you have your initial admission
• Encourage suspect to talk about the aspects of
  the crime.
• Admission should include elements that they would
  know if they committed the crime.
• Evidence that you did not reveal
• Note in your report
• Voluntary statement or recorded.

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• Stay away from legal terms
• Murder caused death
• Rape forced to have sex
• Steal take
• Confess tell the truth
• Killed hurt
• The best catch all is Made a Mistake
• Until confession then specific.