What must you maintain with a suspect during an interview?

• A. Eye Contact
• B. Physical Distance
• C. Silence
• D. Notes

Answer: (A)

Maintaining eye contact during an interview with a suspect communicates that you are attentive and in control of the conversation. This nonverbal cue helps you build rapport, keep the suspect engaged, and make it easier to notice changes in facial expressions or microreactions that can reveal truth, hesitation, or evasiveness. A steady, natural gaze shows you’re listening and confident, which can encourage the suspect to talk more openly while you monitor their responses effectively. You should avoid staring, but keep a consistent level of contact to sustain engagement and control of the interview flow.

Other elements like how close you are, using silence, or taking notes are important tools, but they don’t directly establish the immediate connection and read of responses that steady eye contact provides. Physical distance must be appropriate for safety and professionalism; silence is a tactic used to prompt answers; notes are for accurate record-keeping. The key practice that directly affects interaction is maintaining that steady eye contact.