The Black Belt Mindset Blog

For years I’ve been telling students never to talk to the police when involved in a righteous self-defense incident. Why would I say that?

First, I make a couple of assumptions. Because I’m dealing with terrific people at the Black Belt Mindset Institute at Northern Chi, I assume that if the police are asking you questions it’s because you were right and the other party was wrong. It’s also likely that the person you defended yourself against is a criminal of some sort; of course, you’re not.

Good people want to do the right thing. It’s natural for you to want to tell your story and get this whole thing over with quickly. It’s also natural for you to think that because you’re not a criminal and you’re in the right that everything will work out. After all, the truth can never hurt you, right?

The fact is you’re probably more nervous and scared in this situation than the criminal that attacked you. The assailant may have already been in this situation and may know from experience to keep his mouth shut. You may simply be doing your best to help the police.

Don’t…or to put it in a more positive light, you’ll be helping the police a lot more by keeping your mouth shut.

Police officers are by and large honest and hard working people. They risk their lives every day to protect and serve their communities. Their job is not to ruin your life, but to get to the truth and restore the balance of justice and preserve public safety. They would much rather have you give a clear, accurate statement than to have to untangle a mess of contradictions caused by stress.

Exposed to the stress of a crime scene, you may, with best intentions, say things that will later incriminate you rather than solidifying the case against your attacker. Of course if you’ve just been hit over the head and your attacker is running away, there is no problem telling the police where he ran to and what he looked like. On the other hand, if when police arrive you’re standing over the unconscious body of the attacker who you just knocked out with a well placed elbow to the temple…well; imagine what this looks like to the officers.

Keep your mouth shut other than a polite yes sir, no m’am and “I’d like to talk with my attorney.”

I’m a regular contributor to Primer magazine, a tremendous online resource for “post-college men.” They recently posted a very informative article and video that validates my advice. Watch the video in it’s entirety as a seasoned law professor and a veteran police officer explain the reasons you should “lawyer up” any time you’re involved in a crime…even if you’re right!

Click here for full story & video!