HELP!! I had been drinking, was pulled over and the officer is asking me questions about where I had just come from, where I am going, how much I had to drink, etc. What do I say?
It is commonplace for officers to attempt to glean information from citizens during an arrest. The responses you provide will typically be written by the officer into a police report that can later be FOIAd, that is, read by anyone who submits a FOIA request. While it may seem like the right thing to do to answer the officer’s questions thoroughly and honestly, you are most legally protected if you provide no information except your driver’s licence and registration, which is all the officer is required to have.
When you are asked how much you had to drink, the best response would be something such as, “Officer, I am understanding that you want to know how much I had to drink. I appreciate the civil way in which you are speaking to me, but, with all due respect, I am simply not comfortable answering without my lawyer present.”
If you can remain respectful, non confrontational, make good eye contact, and avoid defensiveness all while politely not providing answers to the officer’s questions, you will do yourself a favor.