What is said in a police interview — and what is not — shapes everything that follows. The decisions involved are consequential and, once made, largely irreversible. They should not be made without advice.
Collins Chambers advises persons who have been asked to attend an interview with Victoria Police or a Commonwealth agency, whether voluntarily or under arrest, and persons who have reason to believe they may become the subject of an investigation.
The advice covers the matters that determine the outcome of an interview: the right to silence and its limits, the specific questions police are permitted to ask, the consequences of answering and of declining to answer in the particular circumstances of the allegation, and the effect any account given will have on the conduct of a later defence. Where appropriate, the firm communicates with investigators directly on the client’s behalf — including as to the timing, scope, and necessity of any interview — and attends the police station with the client. Advice given before an interview is worth substantially more than advice given after one. Persons contacted by police about an interview, on any matter, should obtain advice before confirming their attendance