Which group is typically subject to a Garrity Warning?

• A. Supervisors
• B. Clerical staff
• C. Public safety professionals
• D. Employees involved in the investigation

Answer: (D)

Garrity warnings come into play when an employee is compelled to answer questions during an official internal investigation. The purpose is to protect the employee from self-incrimination by ensuring that statements given under threat of discipline cannot be used against them in criminal prosecutions, as long as the employee answers and does not invoke immunity improperly. Because of this, the group most clearly covered are employees who are directly involved in the investigation—those who are being asked to provide information under compulsion. The other groups might be subjects of an investigation, but the warning specifically applies to those who are being questioned under the mandate of the investigation itself, not just by virtue of their job title.