and that's the attitude that will get you charged with a crime.However, I also do not want to come off to them as arrogant or uncooperative during the investigation lest they act unfavorably towards me or make my life more difficult
while they can make your life difficult, charges still need to be proven in court for you to be convicted.
I know it's a bad way to get the point across but if you watch any cop shows, think about all the times the cops say:
we can make the go easier on you if...
we can't help you unless you help us
how do we know you didn't do it unless you talk to us
those are statements cops really do use to make a suspect think they can help themselves by telling the cops everything. The cops lie. They investigate. They turn their investigation over to the prosecutor who decides whether to seek charges against you or not. It's ultimately not up to the cops to determine if you are prosecuted and if you are, what the charges are.

