By Police1 Staff
If you suspect that someone you’ve stopped might be transporting contraband, staying alert for a reiteration of your key question(s) can be one indicator that you might be on to something. Consider this speeding-stop example:
Officer: You’re not carrying any huge machine guns or rocket launchers in your car, are you? (This question is intentionally over-the-top and designed to lower the driver’s guard and relax him into a level of complacency.)
Driver’s quick response: No.
Officer: How about a huge load of diamonds or gold? (Again, intentionally over-the-top question.)
Driver’s quick response: Ha, ha. Nope. Wish I was...
Officer: Any bodies in your trunk?
Driver’s quick response: Not a chance.
Officer: How about drugs? Are you carrying any illegal substances?
Driver: Am I carrying any drugs?
Officer: Right. Are there any drugs or other contraband in your vehicle?
Driver: Um... drugs or contraband? Illegal stuff? In my car? Um... no. No. Nothing. I don’t do drugs.
What you’ll usually see in these scenarios is a noticeable change in demeanor. Usually signs of nervousness will start to surface and you’ll see a slowing of the answer cadence. The quickly offered “no” answers turn to repetitions of your questions... a subconscious stall tactic to avoid answering the questions they don’t want you to be asking. Although this kind of behavior isn’t in itself enough to prove guilt, it’s enough for you to take note and to pique your curiosity even further.