If you have teenagers in your home, then it is vital that you instruct them about how to speak with law enforcement officers if they are ever detained for questioning. Your teenagers need to know that law enforcement officers are to be respected for the jobs that they perform in the community, but they also need to know how to handle a situation where they are being asked questions that could later come back to bite them if a case goes to court. To this end, here are some guidelines you should teach your teens so they can be confident when speaking with members of law enforcement:

Ask the Officer if You are Free to Leave

It is important to teach your children that law enforcement officers are not always required to tell them the truth. Since lying is one tactic that police officers use to gauge people's response to questions, teach your children that there is one question that law enforcement officers are required to answer in a truthful manner. That question is if they are free to leave. If your teen asks the officer if they can leave and they are told yes, then they should do so. If they are told that they cannot leave, then they should immediately ask to be questioned in the presence of their parent or an attorney. Officers must abide by this request, and your teen should expect that all questions will stop until one of their parents or a lawyer is present.

Say Absolutely Nothing that Isn't Necessary

You should also teach your teenager that they should not stand around and have any idle conversation with members of law enforcement who are investigating a crime. Since your teen doesn't know the entire situation at hand, they could very easily say something that would cause themselves to become a suspect. Instead, instruct your teen to answer basic questions, but as soon as the questioning becomes about the crime, then they should ask if they can leave or ask for a parent or lawyer to be present.

Never Consent to a Search of Their Car, Home, or Person

Finally, you should teach your teenagers that they should never consent to a search of themselves, their cars, or their home without a search warrant. If a member of law enforcement doesn't have the evidence to obtain a warrant, then nothing positive can come from consenting to a search. Click here for more.

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