When did police departments go politically correct? What’s with this “person of interest” in criminal investigations, rather than calling some a “suspect”? Was this language changed for political correctness purposes? Is the term “suspect” going to hurt someone’s feelings, because it implies certain things, whereas “person of interest” doesn’t imply anything?
It doesn't of course, but I suppose the thought process is understandable in the modern litgious age.
When you are officially named a “suspect”, you have more rights and protections against police malfeasance. This is their way of calling you the suspect without limiting their ways to trick you into making a false confession, etc.