Make sure that the suspect has been given the opportunity to notify someone of their choice about their detention and has also been given the opportunity to contact a lawyer. Also ask if the suspect is aware of their right to be examined by a doctor of their choice, even if they have already been examined by a doctor provided by the police. Remember that a suspect must not be subjected to sustained periods of questioning without breaks and the provision of adequate food and drink. A suspect should be allowed a continuous and uninterrupted period of a minimum of 8 hours in any 24-hour period during which they are provided facilities to sleep, if desired, or otherwise to relax. While you should not manipulate the timing of breaks in order to cause unreasonable stress to the suspect, you may tactically decide to break during an interview where you need to follow up on some piece of information or conduct an additional enquiry. You should also be aware that if the suspect has a legal adviser present, the legal adviser may request a break in order to confer with their client or the suspect may themselves request such a private meeting. You do not have to accede to this request, as at that juncture it may or may not be in the interest of the investigation if you do. You should make the decision based upon this judgment. the freeing of an innocent person, and thereby better serve the ends of justice. ► The improvement in information and evidence uncovered will reinforce any case for the prosecution and avoid unnecessary waste of police and criminal justice resources. ► This will result in improved public confidence in police professionalism, effectiveness and their upholding of human rights, and thereby garner greater support and respect for them. Questioning Remember that a suspect may have certain vulnerabilities and additional needs that you may need to address prior to and during the interview. It may be necessary for the suspect to be “accompanied” by an adult other than a legal adviser, for example to safeguard the interests of a suspect who is a child or is vulnerable. It is a key police function to identify those who might be vulnerable and to take steps to get the right support for them. Page 14 ► A brief introduction to investigative interviewing