What You Need to Know if the Police Want to Speak with You
                     What You Need to Know if the Police Want to 
Speak with You
When people think of law, usually 
the first area that comes to mind 
is criminal law and what is 
portrayed on the television. Often 
what is shown on screen is 
inaccurate and/or exaggerated. 
However, some of the shows 
raise important questions in the 
mind of the viewers. Among 
these questions is what a person 
ought to know when interacting 
with the police.
The Right to Remain 
There is a fair amount of misinformatSion ialnde connfutsion surrounding the concept of the right to 
remain silent, so here are the basics. The right to remain silent in Canada is enshrined in the 
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This gives every Canadian the right to refrain from 
providing the police with any information. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Here are 
three common examples:
– If you get arrested, you must tell the police officer your name, address and date of birth.
– If you are engaging in an activity that is governed regulations, you are required to provide 
information as outlined in those regulations. Things of this nature include driving commercial 
trucks or hunting)
– If you are the registered owner of a motor vehicle that is involved in a collision, the Traffic 
Safety Act requires that you provide some information to the police in certain circumstances.
Remember that, in general, you do not need to provide the police with any information or assist 
in a criminal investigation. If you are not sure about whether you need to provide information to 
the police, you should ask to speak to a lawyer.
Speaking to the Police
Whether you are asked to meet the police at the station or are asked to 
answer questions at the scene of an incident, many people have an 
understandable hesitancy to cooperate. It can be unclear whether the 
police genuinely want your side of the story, if they are hoping you will 
say something that will incriminate you or, if they already have enough 
evidence on you and want you to meet them at the station to formally 
place you under arrest.
Any of these situations may be plausible so it is important to have a good 
understanding of your legal position before speaking to the police in any 
capacity, especially if you suspect that they are investigating you. If the 
police want to meet with you or if they have already told you that you 
are under arrest or are being detained, you should tell them that you 
would like to speak to a lawyer. You have the right to speak with a lawyer 
before the police question you or take a statement.
E&T Legal is here to help
If you need help navigating a legal matter, do not hesitate to call E&T 
Legal. As a full-service
law firm in Calgary Alberta, E&T legal is able to help you with a wide 
range of legal issues including family, immigration, real estate, criminal, 
employment, estate planning, probate, and personal injury. Get the 
process started by contacting our office here.
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