Police Report Filed Against Me - Detective wants to Interview me? What should I do

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vornado

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I got a call Monday from the local sherrifs department on my cell phone. The detective claimed that he had a police report that was filed against me back in February and he had been trying to get in touch with me for some time now. My first thought about this was, if you were really trying to find me, you could have located me.

Moving right along, the detective mentioned that I interviewed someone back in February, which I did (I was working for several different companies at the time, and even volunteering my time) and that the woman I interviewed accused me of acting inappropriately. My first thought was, "Why am I hearing about this now?"

So I pressed the detective and he told me that he needed me to come into the sherrifs office to give a statement, and that after he got my statement, he would then put it along with the other statement he received and decide where it needed to go to the D.A. or not. He told me there were inconsistencies in the story that was told when the report was filed, and that he wanted to get my side of the story.

He then also told me that he needed my social security number and my date of birth to see if I had been accused of this thing before. I didn't think about it until after I hung up, that it could have been an identity thief, but the number he gave me, and the number he called from were both legit.

I asked him what this was about and if I needed to get a lawyer. He told me he could not offer me legal advise but he did not have any intention of arresting me. He told me it would be in my best interest however, to cooperate.

He told me when I come in, he wanted my current address and my current employer but unless I am being charged, I don't feel I need to provide this information. The last thing I need is this detective going to my place of employment and asking questions. This is how scandals start where I work.

Moving right along...
Several people have advised me that this could have been an identity thief, so I took the necessary measures (freezing my credit), etc, however if it is legit, what should I do? My friends advised me that if I do decide to go, to bring someone because in these types of situations, they will put you in a room and try to grill you for hours and hours, and another friend advised me to also bring a tape recorder. She also advised me that if they started to act crazy, to ask if I am being charged, and if I am not, to leave.

What I don't understand is if I was being accused of something, why am I just now hearing about it? Two, if the police want to find you, they come to you, they don't ask you to come to them, but then again, this is the south.

Please advise on what I should do, because this is really bugging me. My friend, Zack, is going to come with me to the sherrifs office on Friday so I do not have to go up there alone.

What should I do?
 
The police do not investigate acts of "acting inappropriately". I would guess that someone claimed your actions were of a little more physical nature.

You can always get the number for the sheriff's office from the phone book, call it, and ask for the detective. if this same guy answers the phone, you have a legit call.

Yes, we often DO ask people to come down to speak to us. There could be a hundred reasons why they did not get to you before this ... perhaps they did not know your full name or have an address or number for you. If they have your name and address, they can likely find out where you live.

You might consider consulting an attorney before speaking to them, but, that just might spur them to move forward with whatever they have and nothing to counter it.

If they have nothing they will not make an arrest. If they have enough to make an arrest, they may decide to arrest you. Your call whether you want to talk to them or not.

- Carl
 
Re

The police do not investigate acts of "acting inappropriately". I would guess that someone claimed your actions were of a little more physical nature.

You can always get the number for the sheriff's office from the phone book, call it, and ask for the detective. if this same guy answers the phone, you have a legit call.

Yes, we often DO ask people to come down to speak to us. There could be a hundred reasons why they did not get to you before this ... perhaps they did not know your full name or have an address or number for you. If they have your name and address, they can likely find out where you live.

You might consider consulting an attorney before speaking to them, but, that just might spur them to move forward with whatever they have and nothing to counter it.

If they have nothing they will not make an arrest. If they have enough to make an arrest, they may decide to arrest you. Your call whether you want to talk to them or not.

- Carl

He knew my full name (first and last) when he called, and this number that he called, has always been my number, so those two reasons are invalidated. He claimed he had been leaving several messages for me across several numbers, but it just sounds fishy because I have always used this number.

I am just hoping my friend Zach doesn't bail on me. He has a history of not being reliable, and I do not want to go up there alone, and get cornered in a situation. One of my friends told me not to go alone because they corner you in one of those rooms, and the next thing you know, your in there for five hours being asked the same questions over and over again.

Another friend advised me to keep it short, and I will do just that. "I interviewed the person, and they did not meet the requirements for the position they wanted to apply for, so I was unable to refer them. When I told them about this, the reaction was that of anger, but they did leave. There was no physical contact and the interview maybe lasted five minutes. The door was left open the whole time during the interview process."
 
All because he knew them when he called does not mean that he knew them long ago. That information could have only recently been obtained. Besides, depending on the nature of the alleged crime, the state has between one and three years to bring charges.

They may or may not put you in an interview room. if they do, ask if you are free to go. If you are NOT free to go, they should read you your Miranda rights - that should be a clue. Remember, you do not HAVE to talk to them. Hence my suggestion you speak to an attorney before talking to them.


- Carl
 
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