# Do police have to show the actual search warrant to you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-police-have-to-show-the-actual-search-warrant-to-you/607485>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 27, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-police-have-to-show-the-actual-search-warrant-to-you/607485 "2011-12-27T02:31:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-police-have-to-show-the-actual-search-warrant-to-you/607485/61 "2012-01-05T02:06:29Z")

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I don’t think so, unless she gets his name, calls the police department and asks to speak with him or his supervisor. If the scumbag has a convincing-looking uniform and/or badge he could get away with quite a lot:

> **[FOX 5 New York](https://www.fox5ny.com/)**
>
> New York news, weather, traffic and sports from FOX 5 NY serving New York City, Long Island, New York, New Jersey and Westchester County. Watch breaking news live and Good Day New York.

[http://www.ajc.com/news/paulding-authorities-looking-for-1280899.html](http://www.ajc.com/news/paulding-authorities-looking-for-1280899.html)  
[http://www.thestate.com/2011/12/29/2095146/fake-cop-tried-to-pull-woman-over.html](http://www.thestate.com/2011/12/29/2095146/fake-cop-tried-to-pull-woman-over.html)  
[http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article\_2661a470-36fe-11e1-838c-0019bb2963f4.html](http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_2661a470-36fe-11e1-838c-0019bb2963f4.html)

Looks like it’s a serious problem in India: [Banners to warn about fake cops in Ahmedabad](http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_banners-to-warn-about-fake-cops-in-ahmedabad_1632974)

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**Author:** ![Carl\_Pham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Carl\_Pham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Pham)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-police-have-to-show-the-actual-search-warrant-to-you/607485/62 "2012-01-05T07:20:06Z")

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Interesting recommendation in one of the linked article to call 911 to be sure the person stopping you is a cop. Er…ok. I guess if you’re fully convinced of your own innocence, that idea might occur. But if you _do_ have something, even a very minor something, to hide?

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