Police officers help protect the public by intervening in criminal activity and investigating criminal incidents. Sometimes, they take their attempts to uphold the law too far and may infringe on the rights of the people they suspect of illegal conduct.
Police officers are often well aware of the limitations on their behavior and walk right up to the edge of what is acceptable. They may try to trick or manipulate people in an attempt to gather evidence against them. Those subject to a criminal investigation or facing criminal charges may have questions about whether police officers violated the law or their rights.
The three sneaky tactics outlined below are technically legal and are, therefore, important for people to be aware of when dealing with the police.
Searching through the garbage
People facing a criminal investigation often scrutinize their daily lives and their homes. They may believe that eliminating items that may appear to connect them to criminal activity is the smartest decision. However, what they put out on the curb for garbage collection is vulnerable. Police officers can search refuse once people set it out for trash pickup even without a warrant.
Lying during conversations
Technically, police officers can make all kinds of claims during questioning without impacting their ability to pursue a case against an individual. Sometimes, police officers claim to have evidence that they do not have. Other times, they may insist that they can ensure lenient treatment for an individual if they confess now. Such tactics often push innocent people into confessing in the hopes of avoiding the worst-case scenario. Simply proving that officers lied is not enough to get the courts to set aside a confession in most cases.
Offering hospitality with an ulterior motive
Another way that officers may try to gather forensic evidence is by keeping someone for questioning for as long as they can. Once that person becomes tired and thirsty, they may offer them a cup of coffee or a drink of water. When that person eventually throws out the empty coffee cup or the bottle of water, officers may collect that refuse as a way of gathering forensic evidence. They may be able to obtain genetic information through saliva or fingerprints from a cup or bottle in an effort to connect the suspect to a criminal incident.
Having assistance when responding to a criminal investigation or criminal charges can protect people against aggressive police officer conduct. People who have someone advocating for them during an encounter with police are less likely to fall victim to manipulative tactics.