You are driving home after a long day. You see the red and blue lights behind you. Your stomach drops. Even when you know you have done nothing wrong, the stress hits instantly. You pull over, take a breath, and wait for the officer to approach. Before you can say a single word, the officer asks the question almost every driver hears.
“Do you know why I pulled you over?”
This is not small talk. This is not a courtesy question. It is the first of many tactics officers use to get people talking. What you say in these moments can determine whether you go home or go to jail. At the Marc Lopez Law Firm, we see these cases every day. Many people get in trouble not because they committed a serious crime but because police used confusion, pressure, or fear to make them talk.
Understanding these tactics is one of the best ways to protect yourself. Below are the seven most common police tricks we see in Indiana cases, along with the phrases every person should know. The goal is not to be rude or difficult. The goal is to protect your rights, your freedom, and your future.
Trick One: The Leading Question
“Do you know why I stopped you?”
This question sounds harmless, but it is designed to get you to admit to something, even if the officer did not see it. If you guess wrong, you may accidentally confess to a violation they were not aware of. If you guess right, you have still admitted guilt. Either way, the officer wins.
The correct answer is simple.
“No, officer.”
You do not need to explain. You do not need to guess. You do not need to apologize. Your politeness does not depend on giving up your rights. Police are trained to ask questions in a way that gets you talking. The more you talk, the more evidence they can collect.
Never do the State’s job for them. You do not get paid to help police build a case. Remain calm, remain respectful, but do not volunteer information.
Trick Two: The Friendly Request
“Nothing illegal in the car, right? Mind if I take a look?”
This tactic feels like casual conversation. It is not. It is a trap.
The officer starts with a harmless question, then immediately slides into a request to search. If you say yes, they claim you consented. If you say no, they may still twist your words and say you did not object clearly.
There is one answer that avoids all confusion.
“Officer, I do not consent to any searches.”
Say it politely. Say it clearly. Do not add extra words. Your attorney cannot fix a bad consent search at the roadside. Once you give permission, you have given it, even if you later regret it.
The officer may sigh or act annoyed. That is fine. You are not required to make the officer happy. You are required to protect yourself.
Trick Three: The Warrant Bluff
“Pop the trunk or I will go get a warrant.”
Many people panic when they hear the word “warrant.” Officers know this. They know that most drivers will give in long before a judge signs anything.
Getting a warrant requires:
- probable cause
- a written request
- a judge’s approval
Even in counties that use electronic warrants, it still requires legal justification. Officers know this. They are hoping you do not.
If you hear this line, the correct answer is simple.
“I don’t consent to searches.”
Then stop talking.
If the police were going to search your car regardless, you do not gain anything by giving consent. If they do not have probable cause, your refusal protects you and gives your attorney more to work with.
You can be polite and firm at the same time.
Trick Four: The Detention Gray Area
“Just talk with me for a second.”
When officers approach someone walking down the street, they do not need to tell you whether you are free to leave. That creates a dangerous gray area where most people talk far longer than they should. You do not want to walk away and risk an allegation of fleeing. You also do not want to volunteer information in a situation where the officer is fishing for a suspect.
The best way to escape the confusion is to ask a direct question.
“Am I free to leave?”
If the officer says yes, leave immediately. Do not stay for a friendly conversation. Do not explain yourself. Leave.
If the officer says no, then you are detained. At that point, the only responsible move is to stop talking and say:
“I plead the Fifth. I want a lawyer.”
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Police do not need handcuffs to detain you. They do not need to say the phrase “you are under arrest.” If you are not free to leave, you are being investigated. Do not try to handle that alone.
Trick Five: The Knock and Talk
When police appear at your front door with no warrant
Your home is the place where your privacy rights are at their strongest. When police knock, many people open the door out of instinct. That decision can change everything. Once the door is open, officers may claim they saw or smelled something that justified entering. Some may claim they heard something. These situations escalate quickly.
You are not required to open your door for any officer unless they have a warrant. That is the law.
If the police want to talk, you can speak through the door. You can speak through your Ring camera. You can speak by phone. You do not have to open the door physically, and you should not.
If officers enter without your consent, raise your hands to show you are not resisting and state:
“I do not consent to your presence in my home.”
“I do not consent to any search.”
This protects you and preserves the issue for your attorney to challenge later.
Trick Six: The Legal Lie
Police are allowed to lie during investigations
Many people are shocked to learn this, but Indiana law allows officers to lie to you during questioning. They can say:
- they have video of you
- they found your fingerprints
- your friend implicated you
- they have eyewitnesses linking you to the scene
None of these statements must be true. Officers are trained to use lies because lies work. People panic, try to explain themselves, and end up confessing to things they never intended to say.
When an officer presents you with facts that may or may not be true the only appropriate response is:
“I plead the Fifth. I want an attorney.”
Once you say those words, stop talking. The more you speak after invoking your rights, the more risk you create. The police are not required to tell you the truth. Your attorney, however, is required to protect you.
Silence is strength. Silence keeps you safe.
Trick Seven: The Phantom Smell
“I smell marijuana, so I am going to search your vehicle.”
In many states, including Indiana, the odor of marijuana alone creates probable cause for a vehicle search. Even in places where marijuana laws have become more relaxed, police still use this phrase every day. The biggest problem is that you cannot prove what an officer did or did not smell. Judges often give officers the benefit of the doubt.
If an officer claims they smell marijuana, they may search the vehicle regardless of whether you consent. That is why refusing consent remains essential.
The correct response is:
“I do not consent to any searches.”
If the officer searches anyway, do not fight them. Do not argue. Do not physically resist. Stand firm, keep your hands visible, and repeat your non consent. Every time you repeat it, you give your attorney more ammunition to challenge the search later.
If you know there is no marijuana in the vehicle, then you also know the officer may be bluffing. Do not fall for it. Stand your ground politely and let your attorney fight the legality of the search in court.
Why These Police Tricks Work
And why so many people talk themselves into charges
Police depend on three things:
- your fear
- your confusion
- your belief that you need to explain yourself
When someone is nervous, they say too much. When someone is confused, they answer without thinking. When someone is intimidated, they consent to searches they never needed to allow.
The Marc Lopez Law Firm has represented thousands of clients across Indiana. In many cases, the biggest problem was not the underlying allegation but the statements made to police afterward. People who thought they were being helpful ended up giving officers the evidence necessary to have charges filed against them.
You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to decline a search. You have the right to walk away from an officer if you are free to leave. You have the right to ask for a lawyer. These rights exist for a reason. Use them.
What To Say Instead
Three phrases that protect your freedom
Here are the only phrases you ever need in a police encounter.
“No, officer.”
Use this when asked whether you know why you were stopped.
“I do not consent to any searches.”
Use this for vehicles, bags, property, or your home.
“I plead the Fifth. I want an attorney.”
Use this as soon as you feel questioned, pressured, or accused.
If you forget everything else, remember these three lines. They are simple, polite, and powerful.
Why Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney Matters
Police officers use well rehearsed strategies to get people talking. Prosecutors use those statements in court. Judges treat statements as voluntary even when the person felt pressured. Without an attorney, you are playing a game where the other side knows all the rules and you know almost none.
A criminal defense attorney levels the field. At the Marc Lopez Law Firm, we challenge illegal searches, coerced statements, bad traffic stops, sloppy investigations, and overcharged cases. We know how police and prosecutors operate. We know the weaknesses in their strategies. Most importantly, we know how to protect your future.
The sooner you contact an attorney, the more options you have. Waiting rarely helps.
Make the Right Call
If you are facing criminal charges in Indiana call the Marc Lopez Law Firm at 317-632-3642. We will explain your options, review the facts, and build a strategy to protect you.
And remember, always plead the Fifth.
