Most Officers Ask This Question Wrong: The Three-Choice Technique

Imagine you're interviewing a passenger and trying to determine whether they know a particular individual connected to an investigation.

The obvious question is: "Do you know John Smith?"

The Problem

If the traveler wants to conceal the relationship, they can simply say:   "No."

And now you've learned nothing.

Professional officers understand that people often prepare for questioning. What they can’t prepared for are advance interviewing techniques, which present information indirectly.

A Lesson From FBI Agent Joe Navarro

In his book, What Every Body Is Saying, Joe Navarro, a expert in non-verbal behavior,  describes an interview involving a murder investigation.

During the interview, investigators discussed several possible weapons.

The first weapon produced no notable reaction.

The second weapon produced no notable reaction.

But when the actual murder weapon was mentioned, the suspect's behavior changed.

Navarro observed a shift in posture and a subtle expression that suggested the information carried significance.

That observation didn't prove guilt. However, it gave investigators valuable information about where to focus their attention.

Eventually, the suspect confessed.

Applying the Three-Choice Technique

Suppose you're trying to determine whether a passenger knows a person of interest.

Ensure you have established a baseline. If you're unfamiliar with establishing baseline behavior, check out our article here: Baseline Behavior.

Step 1

Select two credible but unrelated names.

Step 2

Mention the first and second names while observing the traveler's reaction.

For example:

"Have you ever met Michael Jones?"

No reaction.

"What about David Brown?"

Still no reaction.

Step 3

Mention the suspected associate's name and compare the reaction.

Use the phrase:

"BUT you do know [Insert Suspect's Name]?"

If the traveler knows that individual, you may notice a change from their previous responses.

Remember, the goal is not to prove deception.

The goal is to observe changes in verbal or nonverbal behavior when the name is mentioned.

What Professional Officers Understand

The real skill is recognizing deviations from a person's baseline behavior.

This technique allows officers to compare a traveler's genuine denial of unfamiliar names against their reaction to someone they may know or may be attempting to conceal.

Behavior never replaces evidence. However, behavior can help direct attention toward areas that deserve additional scrutiny.

The best interviewers aren't mind readers. They use proven techniques to observe reactions and uncover information others miss. If you're looking for proven interview guidelines used by professional officers, click HERE to receive our FREE Interview Guidelines.

While you're there, be sure to check out our store to your Interview Pocket Notebook designed for professional officers.