What're the odds of me getting called? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Siege · 06-29-2005, 07:27 PM

Hey guys, hoping someone can provide me with a solid answer.

This evening, I was sitting with a few of my buddies at a coffee shop just enjoying some drinks. Just so happens, a fight breaks out (nothing too major, some minor assault, and assault with a necklace or something.. not sure if it's a weapon). Anyway, before the actual fight occurs, the soon-to-be combatants are yelling at each other and people (including myself) are telling them to settle down.

Eventually, the fight breaks out and it's right beside me. I figure that if I don't step in, i'm going to get hit anyway. So I stand up and physically divide the combatants (not touching either of them, and neither of them touched me). (This seems like a suicidal move for a small little asian kid, and in retrospect, maybe it was.)

Anyway, one of the guys came back and got my name and number as well as one of my friend's. I just want to know, what are the odds of the police actually contacting me to be a witness? Because to be honest, I really don't have the time to go down wherever to make a statement or anything.

Thanking you all in advance.

Suave · 06-29-2005, 08:40 PM

Don't have time? It takes maybe a half hour at an absolute maximum in a situation like this to give a statement. You'll only be called if someone presses charges.

Siege · 06-29-2005, 09:23 PM

I don't have a car. Hopefully the station is nearby if I have to give a statement.

Update: A "friend" of the guy who got my info called me (at 1:30 i might add... jeez..) asking for my side of the story. Personally, I am thinking that I should not say anything unless it is to a police officer. Any opinions?

f6twister · 06-29-2005, 09:33 PM

Don't say anything unless it's to a cop. All it takes is one change in the story you told the "friend' and the one you tell the cop to mess things up even more.

And, if the cops were called, you can pretty much count on being contacted. You have the right to refuse to fill out a written statement. Just offer to talk to the cop over the phone instead.

martinguerre · 06-29-2005, 11:15 PM

if it's really a burden, you could ask that an officer visit you to collect the statement. i wouldn't demand this, but if you ask nicely...i'd say there's a pretty good chance that they'd work with you on that.

Scorps · 06-29-2005, 11:32 PM

If you don't want to write out a witness report you don't have to!

Mephisto2 · 06-30-2005, 07:01 AM

Why wouldn't you?

Mr Mephisto

streak_56 · 06-30-2005, 07:19 AM

It's up to you to what plan of action to do. I would recommend that you say nothing to the "other side" until your friend requests that you provide a statement. If they want to hear your side of the story then something is being charged. They need to hear both sides of the events in order to gauge whether they have a solid case or not.

Ripsaw · 06-30-2005, 07:19 AM

If you were afraid of getting involved, why did you get involved? Self preservation is one thing. I too, appreciate not being smacked in the back of the head while other people are fighting. But you should have left as soon as you got that feeling that something was about to happen. You should not have given your information to someone who was not a police officer if you did not want to get involved. Now some random entity has your contact information, and you have no idea what they are going to do with it, aside from calling you at 1:30 in the morning.

kutulu · 06-30-2005, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pain Train

If you don't want to write out a witness report you don't have to!

If they ask you, then you have to.

f6twister · 06-30-2005, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutulu

If they ask you, then you have to.

That may be true where you live but not here. You are under no obligation to write out a statement and they cannot order you to do so. However, that does not mean that you can't be subpoened to testify should the case go to trial.

kutulu · 06-30-2005, 09:08 AM

Isn't that interfering with a police investigation?

f6twister · 06-30-2005, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutulu

Isn't that interfering with a police investigation?

No because it is refusing to fill out a written statement. It isn't a refusal to provide the known information via verbal communication. The officer still has the information, just not in written form. The cops here handle a number of cases that way.

odu_sonar_AE · 06-30-2005, 09:45 AM

The only time I've been involved in giving a statement to the Police was when I saw a hit & run occur in a parking lot of a local mall. I managed to give the owner of the hit vehicle the information I had seen, and had given him my contact info if needed. A short time later, A Police officer came by my place to take the information. The questioning lasted maybe 10 minutes, and that was the last I heard of the case.

xepherys · 07-05-2005, 10:23 AM

a) You can usually provide a written statement by asking an officer to come to your home or school or work.

b) If that is not an option for some reason, they can also often drive you to the station... they do it all the time in the inner city where many people have no vehicles.

c) You are not required to file a written statement, but as mentioned, can be subpoened to testify if it gets that far.

06-29-2005, 07:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	What're the odds of me getting called? Hey guys, hoping someone can provide me with a solid answer. This evening, I was sitting with a few of my buddies at a coffee shop just enjoying some drinks. Just so happens, a fight breaks out (nothing too major, some minor assault, and assault with a necklace or something.. not sure if it's a weapon). Anyway, before the actual fight occurs, the soon-to-be combatants are yelling at each other and people (including myself) are telling them to settle down. Eventually, the fight breaks out and it's right beside me. I figure that if I don't step in, i'm going to get hit anyway. So I stand up and physically divide the combatants (not touching either of them, and neither of them touched me). (This seems like a suicidal move for a small little asian kid, and in retrospect, maybe it was.) Anyway, one of the guys came back and got my name and number as well as one of my friend's. I just want to know, what are the odds of the police actually contacting me to be a witness? Because to be honest, I really don't have the time to go down wherever to make a statement or anything. Thanking you all in advance. __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

06-29-2005, 08:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Suave Twitterpated Location: My own little world (also Canada)	Don't have time? It takes maybe a half hour at an absolute maximum in a situation like this to give a statement. You'll only be called if someone presses charges. __________________ "Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

06-29-2005, 09:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	I don't have a car. Hopefully the station is nearby if I have to give a statement. Update: A "friend" of the guy who got my info called me (at 1:30 i might add... jeez..) asking for my side of the story. Personally, I am thinking that I should not say anything unless it is to a police officer. Any opinions? __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

06-29-2005, 09:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
f6twister Addict	Don't say anything unless it's to a cop. All it takes is one change in the story you told the "friend' and the one you tell the cop to mess things up even more. And, if the cops were called, you can pretty much count on being contacted. You have the right to refuse to fill out a written statement. Just offer to talk to the cop over the phone instead. __________________ A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin

06-29-2005, 11:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
martinguerre whosoever Location: New England	if it's really a burden, you could ask that an officer visit you to collect the statement. i wouldn't demand this, but if you ask nicely...i'd say there's a pretty good chance that they'd work with you on that. __________________ For God so loved creation, that God sent God's only Son that whosoever believed should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

06-29-2005, 11:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	If you don't want to write out a witness report you don't have to!

06-30-2005, 07:01 AM	#7 (permalink)
Mephisto2 Junkie	Why wouldn't you? Mr Mephisto

06-30-2005, 07:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
streak_56 who ever said streaking was a bad thing? Location: Calgary	It's up to you to what plan of action to do. I would recommend that you say nothing to the "other side" until your friend requests that you provide a statement. If they want to hear your side of the story then something is being charged. They need to hear both sides of the events in order to gauge whether they have a solid case or not.

06-30-2005, 07:19 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ripsaw Chef in Training	If you were afraid of getting involved, why did you get involved? Self preservation is one thing. I too, appreciate not being smacked in the back of the head while other people are fighting. But you should have left as soon as you got that feeling that something was about to happen. You should not have given your information to someone who was not a police officer if you did not want to get involved. Now some random entity has your contact information, and you have no idea what they are going to do with it, aside from calling you at 1:30 in the morning. __________________ "We are supposed to be masters of space, but we cant even line up our shoes?" One life, one chance, one opportunity.

06-30-2005, 09:08 AM	#12 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	Isn't that interfering with a police investigation?

06-30-2005, 09:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
odu_sonar_AE Tilted	The only time I've been involved in giving a statement to the Police was when I saw a hit & run occur in a parking lot of a local mall. I managed to give the owner of the hit vehicle the information I had seen, and had given him my contact info if needed. A short time later, A Police officer came by my place to take the information. The questioning lasted maybe 10 minutes, and that was the last I heard of the case.

07-05-2005, 10:23 AM	#15 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	a) You can usually provide a written statement by asking an officer to come to your home or school or work. b) If that is not an option for some reason, they can also often drive you to the station... they do it all the time in the inner city where many people have no vehicles. c) You are not required to file a written statement, but as mentioned, can be subpoened to testify if it gets that far.