Eventually it occurred to me that by publishing my conversation with ‘Tom’ (here and on several libertarian mailing-lists) I spoiled its evidentiary value. Dammit. I’ll never be Nero Wolfe (though I surpass him in one respect).
I have the impression that, to the police, whatever they do to you is “no harm no foul” so long as you’re not wrongly convicted, no matter what inconvenience and discomfort you’ve suffered meanwhile. But that impression comes largely from television shows sympathetic to the police.