&gt; <i>His mistake was answering the officer&#x27;s initial questions. You are under no obligation to talk to the police if questioned.</i><p>I know that this is the common advice now, but I see it as a symptom of the serious problems the US has. The police is supposed to protect law and order. If you&#x27;re not a crook, you shouldn&#x27;t be afraid of talking to officers. When innocent people are so scared of interacting with law enforcement that they have to execute right to silence as a default, it means the situation is deteriorating into oppressive state.