Preparing for an Internal-Affairs Interview Without Guessing

ADKINS&PURKEY RESOURCE LIBRARY · SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Distinguish memory from reconstruction

Create a private working chronology for counsel that identifies what you personally observed, what you learned later, and what you still do not know. A report, dispatch timestamp, and later conversation may each reflect a different perspective. Record those sources separately. Avoid refreshing your recollection through group discussions that can blur who remembers what. If an estimate is an estimate, mark it as such. Precision about uncertainty is more helpful than confidence unsupported by a record.

Prepare the documents and the process

Review the notice, policies identified by the agency, and documents you lawfully possess. Ask counsel about the interview’s administrative or criminal implications, representation rules, and any required acknowledgment. Do not take restricted evidence or confidential files to a personal device. Prepare questions about the procedure in advance, including whether you may review or correct a written summary through the applicable process. If new materials appear during the interview, accurately identify what you have and have not previously seen.

What to gather

• Create a dated chronology with a source beside each significant event.
• List policies and records already provided, plus specific missing items.
• Separate direct memory, later information, estimates, and unanswered questions.

Should I discuss everyone’s answers with other witnesses?

That can complicate the evidence and create additional concerns. Preserve your own recollection and consult counsel about permissible communications. Do not pressure witnesses, coordinate accounts, or ask anyone to change a record.