Abstract

In a state governed by the rule of law, police interviews (PIs) have to be carried out in an objective and impartial manner. Stakeholders’ rights must be considered in every aspect of the interview, yet, criticism has been raised concerning the police’s possibilities to conform to such principles (Polisens internrevision, 2020).

This project examines Swedish PIs as a site where principles of rule of law are managed in situ, through interaction. Language is the primary tool for the police in interviews, still, few studies target interaction in high-stake Swedish PIs. We analyze all audio recordings from an investigation of a severe crime, with particular focus on how objectivity is enacted and performed through information seeking questioning, and in oral summaries of the interviewee’s statement. The theoretical framework is Conversation Analysis (CA), which allows for thorough investigation of the micro-cosmos of actual PIs. Results will contribute scientifically to CA, Forensic Linguistics and Police Studies, and the project is also relevant to the Swedish Police Authority and the Police Education’s courses on interviewing techniques.

Results are significant for understanding the micro-management of a state governed by rule of law. Increased knowledge on how PIs are interactionally accomplished through practices on the micro level, ultimately informs us about the social order on the macro level. It is through language that objectivity is accomplished.