Consideration for an Investigator

Consideration For an Investigator’s Attire January 2005 The very first impression a subject forms of an investigator will be based on physical observations -- not only gender, race and body type, but also attire. The desired perception a subject should have is that the investigator is professional, intelligent, non-judgmental and trustworthy. nyone who has found themselves in a social situation of being either under or over-dressed can appreciate the psychological impact attire choices have on social interaction. The other fascinating aspect of attire is that it affects a person!s self-image which, in turn, can affect confidence and performance levels. "or e#ample, if a person $nows that there is a coffee stain on their shirt they are unli$ely to draw attention to themselves by being assertive or vocal during a conversation. %nvestigators who wear uniforms do not have a choice of attire. The authority associated with a uniform is beneficial during an interview. That is, a guilty suspect will e#perience greater fear and an#iety when lying and e#hibit more behavior symptoms of deception. &owever, this effect is undesirable during an interrogation. 'uring an interrogation the investigator!s uniform, gun and badge all serve as reminders of the punishment the suspect faces if he tells the truth. %t is, therefore, our recommendation that if an investigator must wear a uniform when conducting an interrogation that a comment be made to the suspect to negate the conse(uences associated with the uniform, e.g., )*ou $now +i$e, at 5,00 % ta$e this uniform off and put on jeans and a sweatshirt just li$e you!re wearing. %n many respects, you and % are (uite similar...) +any investigators wor$ in plain clothes and have a choice of what to wear each day. -onsider a person who is dressed in a ./00 suit, with a sil$ tie, starched and pressed white shirt and highly polished blac$ wingtip shoes. %n a board room this wardrobe may portray success and $nowledge with an e#pectation of respect. &owever, when inside an interview room with a robbery suspect, this attire ta$es on a completely different meaning. The suspect is li$ely to resent an investigator dressed in this manner for being able to afford such e#pensive clothing. lso, the suspect may not trust the investigator, perhaps believing that the investigator!s fancy clothes are an effort to somehow put the suspect )in his place,) or are the product of accepting bribes or $ic$bac$s 0picture well-dressed drug dealers1. 2oth of these perceptions, obviously, are undesirable. The underlying psychological principle regulating investigator attire is this, there is a natural tendency to respect and trust people who share similar behavioral choices, including choice of clothing. person who primarily investigates white collar criminals and deals with professionals on a regular basis should, therefore, dress at the subject!s level. This probably will mean a suit or sports jac$et and tie for men and business dress or suit for a woman. This )business attire) affords some fle#ibility where a suit coat an be removed or a tie loosened. 3ery clearly, it is undesirable to have a situation where the suspect is dressed significantly better than the investigator. +any law enforcement investigators routinely deal with street criminals and gang members. 4hen these suspects are pic$ed up for (uestioning they may be wearing tennis shoes, jeans and a T-shirt. 'oes this mean that the investigator should dress down to the suspect!s level5 4e do not thin$ so. To maintain a perception of authority and competency, the investigator will want to at least dress in casual business attire. 6#amples of casual business attire include a dress shirt or short-sleeve $nit shirt and $ha$i pants for men and a blouse and pants for women. The previous comments have all related to subject perceptions during an interview or interrogation. There are additional attire considerations when it comes to testifying in court where the visual appearance of a witness is sometimes more important that what the witness says. %f a uniform is worn to court the investigator should ma$e certain that it is clean and pressed and that shoes are polished. %f the investigator is wor$ing undercover and therefore is unshaven and wearing his hair in a pony tail, he should still dress in a professional manner and ma$e certain that the prosecutor as$s (uestions to allow him to e#plain his physical appearance. %nvestigators who testify in plain clothes should obviously dress professionally. suit and tie is appropriate for male investigators and a business dress or blouse and pants for female investigators. The female!s blouse or top should have a conservative cut. There are also subtle color considerations to $eep in mind. The colors blue and brown are associated with authority and control0thin$ of colors for military or police uniforms1. 7rey, tan or green are social colors that invite interaction and acceptance, e.g., the psychologist!s or professor!s wool tweed jac$et. The guideline % follow is that when testifying for the defense % wear authoritative colors. -onversely, when % am called by the prosecution % want to avoid an authoritative image and will wear social colors. +any years ago a popular boo$ titled )'ress for 8uccess) stressed the importance of how one!s attire can significantly influence the perceptions of other people. 9ne underlying premise was that if the reader wanted to obtain a position that paid .200,000 a year, he or she first had to dress in a manner consistent with someone in that salary brac$et. %!m not certain about that theory but we have anecdotal accounts where an investigator!s attire appeared to contribute to the success or failure of an interrogation. 9n the one hand are the over-dressed investigators who are perceived by the suspect as condescending, arrogant and clearly an adversary. 9n the other end of the continuum are the un$empt, disheveled investigators who come across as uncaring, sloppy and incompetent. s previously stated, the proper attire for

the investigator will depend on the suspect. 2efore entering your ne#t interview loo$ in the mirror and as$ yourself, )&ow will this particular suspect perceive me5)