When the police call you about a criminal case

Check the contact without relying on the screen

Ask for the name, function, unit and a reference under which you can call back. The number on your screen in itself is not a sufficient guarantee that you are actually speaking to the police. The police warn against fake officers, including people who try to instill confidence with official names or data. If in doubt, use an official contact channel that you have found yourself. A quiet check is different from ignoring a real appointment; it helps determine which agency and contact person you are dealing with. (police warn about fake officers)

The official contact page lists routes for emergency, non-emergency and contact from abroad. Use an emergency number for an actual urgent situation, not for every regular callback request. If someone, under pressure, wants money, PINs, a debit card, or access to your device to fix a perceived problem, that's a serious red flag. Don't share codes to prove your innocence. Save existing messages and ask through the official channel how to verify the request without returning confidential data to a stranger.

Ask if you are a suspect, a witness or something else

A notification that your name appears in a file does not indicate in what capacity you will be contacted. Ask explicitly whether you are a suspect and what the suspicion essentially relates to. The rights and concerns may differ from those of a witness or declarant. Moreover, a conversation can change in character. If substantive questions about your own involvement arise during an initial practical contact, this is a reason to ask for clarity again and to discuss legal assistance.

Write down how the caller describes your position, but don't make it a blanket guarantee. The fact that someone says they just want to check something does not mean that your answers are legally meaningless. If terms are unclear, ask what exactly is being asked: an appointment, information about accessibility or a statement about an event. This way you separate logistics from content. You do not have to solve the legal qualification yourself in one unexpected conversation; an attorney can help you understand what the notices and next steps mean in context.

A telephone conversation can already be about the content of the accusation

The police define an interrogation as asking questions because they believe you are involved in a criminal offense. The location where you record does not automatically change the content of such questions. A brief question about where you were yesterday may have a different function in an investigation than a practical question about your postal address. Therefore, listen to what is actually being asked and indicate when you first want to understand the suspicion and your legal position. (police describe an interrogation)

Do not fill in unknown details out of politeness. A guess about time or place can later be read as a positive statement. If you do not know something or do not understand a question, it is important to state this honestly. Discuss with a lawyer whether, when and in what form you will respond substantively. The Code of Criminal Procedure is the procedural law framework. This guide does not provide a one-size-fits-all text that should end every conversation; the appropriate response depends on your position and the specific question.

Capture an invitation without increasing its meaning

If an office call is requested, record date, time, location, contact person and purpose. Ask for written confirmation when possible. Please also clarify whether it is an invitation and what consequences may be associated with not showing up. A telephone appointment is not automatically the same as any formal call, but the absence of a letter does not make the issue unimportant. Therefore, do not ignore the request assuming that nothing can happen without paper.

Check accessibility and options for legal assistance before agreeing to an unattainable time. A work or care problem may require practical consultation, but does not provide a general guarantee that you can freely choose a new date. Have a changed appointment confirmed and save previous versions. The article about police interrogation discusses this preparation in more detail. The telephone note should above all prevent you from having to reconstruct later which location or date was mentioned during a tense conversation.

Arrange legal preparation before substantive explanation

The police explain the duties of a lawyer before and during interrogation. Ask how legal assistance can be arranged in your situation and discuss the costs and possible financing directly. Do not assume from a general story about arrested suspects that every preliminary interview is automatically paid for in the same way for every voluntarily invited person. Your own lawyer can investigate the position, available information and practical coordination. The request for preparation is not an admission of guilt nor a guarantee that an appointment will be postponed indefinitely.

Tell the lawyer literally what you have already said on the phone and what questions are still unanswered. An answer that feels awkward afterwards also belongs in that conversation. Don't try to hide it because you think the defense is already lost. A lawyer must know what information exists in order to discuss a responsible choice about follow-up. Send the note and received documents via an appropriate route and do not let large sensitive files end up unsolicited in a general mailbox of all kinds of stakeholders.

Protect tranquility, language understanding and confidential preparation

A telephone conversation in the workplace or in the presence of family does not automatically provide sufficient privacy. Indicate when you can note the request but cannot safely or calmly discuss the contents. Ask for a controlled call-back instead of hastily telling a story that others are partly listening to. If you do not sufficiently understand the language or concepts used, please mention this. A trusted person who happens to be next to you is not automatically a suitable or independent translator of legal questions.

Preparation for a minor requires extra attention. A parent can help with accessibility and documents, but should not copy answers about the events or let the child practice an explanation. Let the lawyer explain the rules for support and attendance. The same principle applies to tension, fatigue or other circumstances that affect understanding: make them known in concrete terms and discuss appropriate provisions. This does not in itself prove that a conversation is impossible, but prevents necessary support from being mentioned only afterwards.

Fictional example: a phone call at work

In a fictional example, Daniel receives a phone call at work about an incident involving a company car. He is asked to explain who used the car on a particular evening. He did not want to worry his employer and quickly replied that he was probably driving himself, although he had not checked the schedule. Only later does he hear that he is being approached as a suspect. His first answer may now take on a different meaning than the non-binding practical assessment he intended.

A more careful approach would first capture the caller's identity, process position, and subject. Daniël can then tell the lawyer what he actually knows and which existing trip registration may be relevant. The example does not automatically invalidate the first answer and does not predict an outcome. It shows how time pressure can turn an uncertain suspicion into a seemingly established fact. The practical benefit of preparation is that the source of information and the degree of certainty remain visible before the story is used further.

A telephone note for the lawyer interview

Make the note immediately after the conversation, distinguishing between literally remembered words and your own summary. If a time is only approximately correct, write it down. Save a voicemail or received message in its original form that is lawfully available to you. Do not share recordings or personal information on social media to seek public advice on the matter. The lawyer mainly needs a factual overview that can be linked to the invitation or later available legal documents.

• Contact: date, time, number shown and whether identity has been officially verified.
• Caller: named name, unit, position, callback route and file reference.
• Position: suspect, witness or other capacity according to the communication.
• Topic: event and period in the words you actually heard.
• Contents: asked questions, own answers, uncertainties and sources already mentioned.
• Appointment: location, date, time, purpose and written confirmation to be received.
• Preparation: lawyer, language or support needs and specific open questions.

Then write at the top what the next task is now. Contact may need to be checked first, an appointment confirmed or an attorney reached. A long note without a next step can still be left behind as the appointment approaches. Only ask a loved one for practical help where this is desirable and prevent them from independently passing on substantive information to the police without coordination. Good support improves accessibility and leaves the choice of process to the person concerned and their legal assistance.

Save sources without directing the research

A call may be a reason to check the agenda, messages or documents. Keep existing information in its original form and note where it came from. Do not delete data for fear of an unfavorable explanation and do not ask others to adjust their messages. Likewise, do not contact potential witnesses to find out what story they are going to tell. If a source is in danger of disappearing, for example through automatic removal, report this to the lawyer in a timely manner so that an appropriate and lawful step can be assessed.

Don't log into someone else's work account or phone without authorization to check your reminder. A defensive interest does not give general permission to cross new boundaries. If documents are with your employer, a specific question via the correct route may be necessary. The difference between safe storage and conducting your own investigation deserves attention. A reliable source with limited meaning is more useful than a collection of data for which it is later unclear who changed it, selected it or obtained it without permission.

Making an appointment is no guarantee about what happens next

When you arrive, ask again about your position and the current situation. Voluntarily coming to an office does not mean that the legal position can never change afterwards. The in-depth section on voluntary departure addresses that question separately. Therefore, do not let practical agreements take on the meaning of a legal commitment that no one has made. A caller can schedule a call without being able to guarantee that every decision will remain the same later. Discuss such expectations with the lawyer in advance. (in-depth information about voluntary departure)

Our analysis is that the first telephone conversation can best be an orderly start: reliable contact, a clear question and timely preparation. This is especially valuable because an unexpected conversation otherwise rewards speed over accuracy. Those who remain accessible, record agreements and consciously discuss substantive choices help prevent uncertainty from being unnecessarily read as a contradiction. For the choice about explanation, the guide on the right to remain silent remains the substantive in-depth information; This page focuses on the specific first contact moment. (guide to the right to remain silent)