When I lived in the UK I had a friend with mental issues and as a result he would come into police contact on a regular basis. Most often than not he would be

When I lived in the UK I had a friend with mental issues and as a result he would come into police contact on a regular basis. Most often than not he would be making some sort of claim that obviously wasn't true and the police would want to talk to someone more responsible just to confirm that this was a 'mental health issue' so they could walk away without fear of any comeback. As a friend I was happy to take this role even though it could get embarrassing. On one occasion the officer concerned actually seemed to be concerned about my friends welfare. In most of the other instances (at least half a dozen times) all they wanted was an excuse to get the hell away. A couple of times it was more sinister though and I got the feeling that the police were hinting that I was guilty of something. My friend has confirmed to me that on some occasions they would try to put words in his mouth. He acts like an idiot sometimes but he's no fool either. As a consequence I have told my friend that if he gets into trouble with the police again he can't ask me to speak on his behalf. I worry what will become of him but I just don't have faith in the police anymore. So, OK your examples are extreme, but I would be wary of talking to the police in any situation again.