Sounds to me that the correct course of action in any and all dealings with law enforcement that you do not initiate, is to assert your 5th Amendment rights as soon as contact is made.
Cop: What are.....?
Subject: I respectfully refuse to answer any questions based on the rights guaranteed me under the 5th amendment.
That 5th amendmnet can be a tricky devil.
I learned a little about that the onetime I pushed things a little too far and got to learn about Article 15 of the UCMJ up close and personal, Disrespect to a superior officer was the charge. I kind of had a shouting match with my LCDR Dept. Head in the wardroom, in front of the XO and about 5 other people. I was later told that if it had just been based on the shouting match and points scored I would have been a clear winner.
One of the first things they handed me to sign was a waiver of my 5th amendment rights. I declined to sign it. You would have thought I had whizzed on the captains shoes by the reaction that got. The command didn't know how to deal with it and had to confer with the JAG boys. They then came back and again asked me to sign it, I declined again. When they asked me why I simply told them that until someone can tell me how it would be in my interest to do so I wasn't going to sign away a constitutionaly protected right. Again off to the JAG boys and then they told me I had to sign it, sorry not happening. The command kept insisting that I had to sign the waiver and finally I asked for legal counsel in the matter, that wasn't going to hapen either. I think the XO actually busted a blood vessel when I did that. After about a week of that they finally just gave up. (I wouldn't be surprised to find out someone forged my signature on the waiver)
Anyway, I eventuallly went to Captain's Mast and the charge was dismissed, not so much as a reprimand. Lots of back story and personal intrigue involved.
