By Pat Culverhouse

Interviewing a criminal suspect is more than obtaining a confession, it’s a matter of obtaining information that will relate to a jury if the case eventually comes to trial.

Detectives and supervisors from the Minden Police Department and Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office heard tips on interrogation techniques Thursday from a veteran Louisiana State Police investigator who has served decades in law enforcement on local and state levels.

Louisiana State Police Det. Rod Johnson told the group that getting information is a first step toward a successful conclusion to a case.

“You may not always get a confession, but you can gather evidence through information that will convince a jury,” Johnson said. “It’s also important to put forward that information in language and in terms that are easy for a judge and jury to understand.”

Using videos of suspect interviews, Johnson challenged the officers to notice subtle changes in both the questions and the manner in which those questions are phrased.

Johnson told the officers their suspect interviews will be “…planting the seeds for a judge and jury…” to determine the outcome of trial.