To have felt very uncomfortable

[Sexnotgender]

My husband and I witnessed an accident recently.
Phoned the police to report it and gave statements later.

Police asked if I thought I could ID the driver if they came back with photos. I said possibly, it all happened very quickly and the driver fled the scene.

Police came by the next day with 12 pictures on a piece of paper and were very clearly pointing me towards a particular one whilst saying “of course we can’t influence your choice”

Is this normal?!

Interestingly they asked to come inside rather than do it on the doorstep where our ring doorbell records. But they were happy to take our statements on the doorstep.

It made me so uncomfortable! However I want the driver held to account as he had no license or insurance and could easily have killed us or someone else.

Am I just naive?

[Bluntness100]

Ok well your husband didn’t think they were and you resisted their co ercion and didn’t identify anyone, so you don’t need to worry and you’re not holding anyone to account.

[Sexnotgender]

The pictures were all on one A4 sheet of paper. No laying out required.

[saltinesandcoffeecups]

@Sexnotgender

I would wonder as your dh didn't notice whether this is a bit of confirmation bias.
Because you thought it was that one you read into the officer's words/actions a bias that maybe wasn't there.

Hmm, maybe?

I felt a bit rushed.

There were 3 rows of 4 pictures and I’d say something like - oh it’s definitely not 3 or 7 and the guy would say ‘so nobody on the top or middle then?’.

And our living room is a little dark so the female officer was using her flashlight to highlight the faces, I felt she hovered her light over the ‘correct’ suspects face whilst saying I can’t influence your choice.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it.

How were they going to lay out the pictures while standing on your doorstep?

[Sexnotgender]

@Bluntness100

I don’t understand the issue. You didn’t identify anyone. Your husband did and he doesn’t feel he was coerced. So what’s the issue. It would be very different if you did Id someone but you didn’t.

The issue is I felt they were trying to lead me and I wasn’t sure if they were allowed to. I assume they’re not and the replies on here back that up.

[Schrutesbeets]

@Sexnotgender

I would wonder as your dh didn't notice whether this is a bit of confirmation bias.
Because you thought it was that one you read into the officer's words/actions a bias that maybe wasn't there.

Hmm, maybe?

I felt a bit rushed.

There were 3 rows of 4 pictures and I’d say something like - oh it’s definitely not 3 or 7 and the guy would say ‘so nobody on the top or middle then?’.

And our living room is a little dark so the female officer was using her flashlight to highlight the faces, I felt she hovered her light over the ‘correct’ suspects face whilst saying I can’t influence your choice.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it.

I think you're reading too much into it.

[Bluntness100]

I don’t understand the issue. You didn’t identify anyone. Your husband did and he doesn’t feel he was coerced. So what’s the issue. It would be very different if you did Id someone but you didn’t.

[Sexnotgender]

I would wonder as your dh didn't notice whether this is a bit of confirmation bias.
Because you thought it was that one you read into the officer's words/actions a bias that maybe wasn't there.

Hmm, maybe?

I felt a bit rushed.

There were 3 rows of 4 pictures and I’d say something like - oh it’s definitely not 3 or 7 and the guy would say ‘so nobody on the top or middle then?’.

And our living room is a little dark so the female officer was using her flashlight to highlight the faces, I felt she hovered her light over the ‘correct’ suspects face whilst saying I can’t influence your choice.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it.

[Sexnotgender]

@BadgertheBodger

That ID wouldn’t be admissible as evidence, it’s not following the correct procedure. Have you got their collar numbers? I’d go up the chain with that, speak to their superior as it’s not right

I don’t. We’ve been given nothing by them.

[BadgertheBodger]

That ID wouldn’t be admissible as evidence, it’s not following the correct procedure. Have you got their collar numbers? I’d go up the chain with that, speak to their superior as it’s not right

[ThatIsMyPotato]

Sexnotgender Is that even allowed?!

[TaraR2020]

Formally complain / report it.

Its for the trial to establish / confirm guilt, leading the witnesses is serious and you have no idea how much evidence there is against him or how robust the investigation has been.

Someone's life is likely to be ruined here, they deserve to be treated fairly.

Additionally, if they do this in this case, how many other investigations have they attempted to influence?

[MargaretThursday]

I would wonder as your dh didn't notice whether this is a bit of confirmation bias.
Because you thought it was that one you read into the officer's words/actions a bias that maybe wasn't there.

I'd have thought they wouldn't want it recorded on ring doorbells in case the video picked up the pictures and you then showed others/posted it on social media.

[Sexnotgender]

@Docsmix

If you aren't sure which one it was how do you know you DH picked the right one?

Because they told us.

[myfuckingfreezer]

Don’t really want to give that level of detail

Why?

[MyFloorIsLava]

That's a complete breach of guidance. You should have been shown video images of around 12 people, and the officer doing this should have had no knowledge of the suspects identity. If it goes to court your husbands ID will be thrown out, I would say.

[2bazookas]

The only time I was asked to ID a criminal, the police brought a photo album with multiple pages of mugshots. The officer remained completely neutral as I flipped through it. I had seen the man full face at close range in broad daylight and had no problem picking him out.

After I'd picked him the officer told me my neighbour had just picked the same guy.

[Docsmix]

If you aren't sure which one it was how do you know you DH picked the right one?

[ThatIsMyPotato]

How were they guiding you? This sounds really dodgy.

[Sexnotgender]

@TheMagicPudding

How do you know he had no licence if you or the police dont know who it is?

The police do know who it is.

They wanted us to confirm him as the driver as witnesses. There were 2 other people in the car.

[TheMagicPudding]

How do you know he had no licence if you or the police dont know who it is?

[Sexnotgender]

@MindtheBelleek

Not what you’re asking, but how were they guiding you towards a particular photo? And did you recognise it as the driver you saw or not?

Don’t really want to give that level of detail but it was very clear to me that I was being steered towards a particular person.
I did feel a bit rushed.

I could confidently say who it wasn’t from the pictures shown but there were maybe 2 pictures where I thought it could have been either of them. One was the correct one.

[Sexnotgender]

@TLIMSISNW

That can’t have been a formal ID procedure then.

Is it different because I’m in Scotland?

My husband signed it as a witness.

[TLIMSISNW]

(I’m fairly sure anyway).

[TLIMSISNW]

That can’t have been a formal ID procedure then.

[Sexnotgender]

@PlanDeRaccordement

It sounds like you were not really able to ID the driver after all. I would ensure the record states you could not ID the driver.

My husband signed the ID document, I did not.