1

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

SEC/361

2

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

When it comes to the world of security, interviews and interrogations play a vital role in receiving vital information that can be provided from an individual that could potentially solve a case. The two interviews and interrogations could be similar but could also be different in many ways. During the course of this paper i will discuss the following: Compare security interviews and security interrogations, discuss the legal issues associated with security interviews and interrogation and draft a security organization policy on conducting security interviews and interrogations. It is very important to put a security policy in place in order to help the organization to guide the proper security personnel during the course of interviews and interrogations.

Security interviews and interrogations are important as they are conducted in order to gain information that could be used in order to solve a case. Interrogation and interviews will both used forms of communication in order to gain information from the individual whom they are interviewing. While conducting interviews and interrogations it is important to remember the importance of building up a relationship with the person whom they are conducting the interview or interrogation with this will help the person feel at ease. According to Interview and Interrogation Method, “ The interviewing and interrogation of suspects can be particularly important to securing convictions against the guilty and freeing the wrongly accused “ ( Meissner 2012 ). Interviews and interrogations are two different

3

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

things in my opinion; suspects are usually the ones who gets interrogated and witnesses will get interviewed for the sole purpose of gathering facts.

Interviews are usually casually meetings with a witness in order to gain important information regarding a certain case in order to get the facts. In order to get the person to open up about the case at hand it is very important that they feel safe and secure in the interview setting that will help the security personnel officers involved in the case. It is important that an interview take place as soon as possible so that the security personnel officers can be able to get as much information from the individual while it is still fresh in their mind. The interview process will usually include family members, witness and even the victims. It is important the security personnel officers understand that witnesses are much more willing to give critical information to law enforcement officers if they feel that they are not being targeted as the main suspect. If the witness, family member or victim feels that they are being targeted for the crime this will cause them to shut down not giving up any critical information.

Individuals being interviewed can help security personnel officers gain critical information in which can lead to the solving of a case. In order to get the interview or interrogation it is important for the security personnel officer to ask open-ended questions, this way you are not accepting a yes or no answer, more information will have to be given by the type of questions that are asked. During the interview process it can potentially turn

4

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

into an interrogation if the security personnel officer feel that they are being lied too or if the person who have been interrogated have been involved in the crime that is being investigated. Interrogations are usually conducted in order to gain a confession out of a suspect. During the course of an interrogation the tone in the interrogation room is of an accusatory tone by the investigator in order to gain an interrogation. The people who are being interrogated are not willing to give information or even at times just willing to go to court. There are many tactics that an interrogator can use in order to get a confession this could include empathy and confrontational methods. According to Human Interrogation Techniques, “ Confessions were four times more likely when interrogators struck a neutral and respectful stance. Rates of detainee disclosure were also higher when they were interrogated in comfortable physical settings “ ( Khazan, 2014).

It is important for the interrogator to have the upper hand during the interrogation process this will help the interrogator and make the individual who is being interrogated feel uncomfortable. There are legal issues associated with security interviews and interrogation this would include the reading of the Miranda Rights before the interview or interrogation process begins so that the person who is being interviewed have a chance at getting a lawyer or a lawyer present during the interrogation process.

5

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

Interrogators may feel the need to coerce information out of the individual who is being interrogated. This is a legal issue because this could potentially cause a mistrial or problems that could occur during the trial. It is important for security personnel officers to know the difference from gaining a confession when the truth is already known rather than gaining a confession just for the sole purpose of gaining information and a false confession. It is not wise to tell a suspect they if they confess to something that they did not do, they will not be charged and free to let go this is a way of trying to coerce a confession out of someone. Another legal issue that will arise during the interview and interrogation process could include not reading of The Miranda Rights that are not read to the individual. Security personnel officers should not feel the need to detain someone for a long period of time without a valid reason this is something that should not happen. Also if a juvenile is held without having his or her parents or guardian present this could cause a legal issue as well.

The most important and first step that must take in order to start an effective interview and interrogation is to know what you are dealing with the situation. Knowing the situation will help the security personnel officer who is doing the interview or interrogation the ability to know the questions that they are going to ask once entered into the interrogation room. The second step would be to do research on the crime that has been committed. The third step would be when conducting interviews make sure that someone is

6

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

always present when they are asking questions to ensure that the security personnel officer have a witness while conducting the interview. It is important to keep notes at all times even when it is being recorded. During the process of the interrogation process it is important for the interviewer or interrogator to get a sworn statement from the witness or individual who is being interrogated. The main purpose of an interview is to discover information, this is important to know before the interview process has begun. It is important to find the facts during the interview process in order to gain the correct facts. The main purpose of the interrogation is to find out why and who committed the crime. If the suspect who is suspected of committing the crime is in the interrogation room it is important to try to get them to confess. Having the facts will allow the interrogator to confront the suspect with information in order to gain an confession.

In conclusion, during the course of this paper i have discussed the following: Compare security interviews and security interrogations, discuss the legal issues associated with security interviews and interrogation and draft a security organization policy on conducting security interviews and interrogations. It is very important to put a security policy in place in order to help the organization to guide the proper security personnel during the course of interviews and interrogations. Investigators are faced with different types of dilemmas everyday when it comes to getting information out of witnesses and suspects. Some investigators may have all the information they need but at times even

7

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

that is not enough to prove by a reasonable doubt that the person accused of committing the crime actually did it. Security personnel officers should always hold themselves to a high standard in which their morals and ethics are not compromised when they are trying to solve a crime. If standards are not upheld this could ultimately affect the case in a negative way.

8

Interviews and Interrogations Policy

References:

Interview and Interrogation Methods and Their Effects on Investigative Outcomes. Meissner, Christian ( 2012 ) Retrieved from:

http://search.proquest.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/1773970021?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=458

The Humane Interrogation Technique That Actually Works. Olga, Khazan ( 2014 ) Retrieved from:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/12/the-humane-interrogation-technique-that-works-much-better-than-torture/383698/