The Bull Don’t Care
The bull don’t care how you planned to ride. In the interview room, staying present means listening beyond the answer you want, recognizing what the subject gives you, and adapting your approach.
Don’t Ask for More Details. Execute Better Retrieval.
Investigators often ask for “more details” when what they really need is a better retrieval strategy. Effective interviewing uses structured recall methods to help reliable information emerge, then tests that information against the evidence.
Fourth Amendment Traffic Stop Questioning: Sixth Circuit Case Explains Limits
SIXTH CIRCUIT EXPLAINS SCOPE OF A TRAFFIC STOP AND QUESTIONING UNRELATED TO THE STOP On September 23, 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decided United States v. Moffitt,[i] in which the court examined whether an officer exceeded the permissible [...]
Narrative or Accusatory? One Builds a Case. One Breaks It.
Narrative and accusatory interviewing are more than different techniques—they represent two fundamentally different investigative philosophies. One is designed to gather and evaluate information. The other often begins with the objective of obtaining admissions or confessions. Those choices influence the quantity, quality, and reliability of the evidence investigators ultimately present in court.
The Crime Before the Crime?
Most investigations begin with the crime. The better question is: When did the crime really begin? Long before the act itself, offenders often progress through a series of decisions involving distorted thinking, planning, preparation, and commitment. Understanding that sequence can change how investigators conduct interviews—and how they build stronger cases.
Yackey Yak Will Cost You the Facts
Many investigators believe talking demonstrates control. In reality, excessive talking suppresses the subject’s narrative, increases the risk of contamination, and reduces statement reliability. Learn why disciplined silence is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—skills in investigative interviewing.
Police Use of Force Case Review: Heid v. Rutkoski
MAN SHOOTS AT DEPUTIES IN BACKYARD THEN QUICKLY EXITS RESIDENCE THROUGH FRONT DOOR, UNARMED, IS SHOT AND SUES: WHO WINS? On July 10, 2025, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals decided Heid v. Rutkoski[i], in which the court of appeals [...]
Chatrie v United States Supreme Court Geofence Warrant 2026
From the United States Supreme Court Geofencing to Catch a Bank Robber Chatrie v. United States, slip opinion No. 25-112 In another case involving technology which was beyond science fiction when the Bill of Rights and specifically the Fourth Amendment [...]