One of the most common things I am asked as a police station rep (albeit I am also a Criminal Solicitor) is what could a solicitor possibly do for me, if I am arrested for a criminal offence and taken to a Police Station?
I answer always with one word:
That word is disclosure!
If you do not have the assistance of a police station representative/police station agent or criminal solicitor at the police station you will not have the benefit of knowing any part of the police case against you (or the possible strength or weakness of it) prior to your police interview.
A police station agent or representative's job is to gather all the available information he can prior to the interview and advise you on the strength or weakness of the police's case. A competent police station agent representative will on arrival at the police station where you are detained immediately ask for and minutely examine your custody record (the police must keep a record of all the things that have happened to you when you were brought into custody and before). This will contain things like details of the property you had with you; what briefly you are alleged to have said or done; what time you were arrested and what for and many other details.
Following scrutiny of the custody record significant details of the case against you may be revealed.
The police station agent or representative will then ask the officer in charge of your case what evidence the police have got against you?
Whilst the police do not have to tell your representative every single fact in their possession (and many try to disclose as little as possible) they will often give your police station representative or agent significant details of the case against you. Quite often the police station agent or representative will be able to find out if any actual witness statements have been given to the police by important witnesses!
The lack of a important witness statement could mean that the police have in effect no evidence against you other than what you say in your interview.
A police station agent or representative will therefore be in a position to advise you as to whether it is in your interests to answer police questions or not in interview. He or she will also be in a position pre-interview to advise you of the strength of the case against you and give you appropriate advice.
In many cases asking for a police station representative before interview could make the difference between conviction and acquittal ; charge or release without charge.
Police station representation is free to anyone arrested or interviewed under caution by a police officer in England and Wales.
If you need it in the Kent area call police station agent on 07535 494446
