You have a right to remain silent to protect against self-incrimination.

Updated August 2019

• You can refuse to answer police questions or give an interview and this cannot be used against you later. 

• There is no such thing as an ‘off-the-record’ conversation with police. Anything you say to police is likely to be recorded. Any conversations can be used as evidence against you in court, or contribute to an officer’s decision to arrest you. As a general rule you should not answer any police questions or give an interview without legal advice.

• The right to silence applies even if you have been arrested.
  

exception to your right to silence: 

If police approach you and ask questions, you should generally supply your name and address if asked for that information, and if you are a juvenile (i.e. you are 17 or younger) you should state your age. However, it is not an offence to refuse to give this information unless you are under arrest, or reasonably suspected of having committed an offence. 

You can ask the police why they are asking for that information, and you should ask to see their identification, and take note of their name, rank and station. 

Using your right to silence

Always direct police to your delegated police liaison. Even if police try to chat to you casually, it is advised not to speak with them. To assert your right to silence you can say “No comment”, “I do not have anything to say” or something similar.