In the movie “8MM” I think there was a criminal lair and a guy at the door says to those who enter “Are you a cop? Because if you are you have to tell me?”
Nicholaus Cage says he’s just a (private?) detective.
Also, in the movie “The fast and the Furious” the undercover cop (FBI?) is asked whether he’s a cop - and he doesn’t answer at all - he doesn’t even nod.
So it seems that in the U.S. at least, undercover cops have to tell the truth or not answer (not lie) if they are asked if they’re cops…
Is that right?
And what if they’re an undercover agent for the FBI and they’re asked if they’re a cop… is ok for them to say “no”?
This is probably to protect against entrapment.
But, otherwise, I’m sure you can lie.
Unfortunately, this bit of misinformation isn’t limited to the movies. One time when I was buying M-80s on an Indian reservation, the guy at the stand asked “Are you a cop?” before he showed me the goods.
Just finished reading a book today and in one scene the (bad) characters were buying fireworks. They asked for the “good stuff”. The merchant eyes them suspiciously and asks “Are you guys cops?”
One knucklehead says “No - I’ll prove I’m not a cop! I’ll show you my penis!”
His buddy slaps him and says “You idiot - that’s how you prove you’re not a cop to a hooker, not a fireworks salesman!”
To answer the OP, I believe that in the snopes link above mentions something about what actually entails entrapment (its a lot). It should also be mentioned that undercover policework would basically cease to exist if this “you have to tell me you’re a cop” thing was true.
Imagine six ski-masked figures in the back of a van about to rob the Hayseed Bank and Trust. As the doors swing open the boss, “Codename”, asks our intrepid undercover cop if he’s actually a cop.
“Shit”, he says. “You figured out the super-secret technique of actually asking me if I’m a cop. I’m done for. Just continue robbing the bank while I sit here and curse our stupid policy of answering every question honestly.”
no, but if you want to see if someone is a cop ask him to break the law. Cops can’t break the law outside of doing their job.
Ask him to sniff some coke or touch your vagina. That will tell if hes a cop.
Yes… assuming that the courts will beleive your word as a drug dealer or hooker (most likely already with a criminal record as long as your arm) on trial who’ll say anything to get off over the word of a cop who’s doing society a favor by getting you off the streets. Bad cops can and do get away with a lot, which is one reason even good cops aren’t liked much… one bad apple spoils the lot.
Here’s a link to where this was discussed before, and a comment I rather liked about how much immunity from the law a cop getting stoned in your presence could give you…
judge: “OK Dr. Evil, we’ve heard your accusation that Coumbo shot up with heroin once 6 months ago. Not that it’s any of your business, but we’ll fine him $200 and make him laddle out soup to the homeless for a week. Now as for this hidden camera footage of you stealing missles and gunning down those 15 people…”
Calculus , I’m having trouble with your post. You say that cops can’t break the law “outside of doing their job”.
Does this mean that they CAN break the law while doing their job?
Any cites for the “touch your vagina” claim?
I have been led to believe that the rules governing undercover cops were rather flexible: ie smoke the dope if it means that we catch the serial murderer.
If anyone has any actual knowledge about this (and five people saying “Dude, that’s fucked up!” does NOT constitute knowledge!), please let us know!
that statement was a generalization, i’m sure it varies greatly based on things like state, city, prosecutor and the officers district supervisor. It is my understanding, from reading non-fiction books & watching real life police documentaries on shows like discovery or TLC that police officers either cannot break the law or are strongly prohibited from doing so when working undercover.
The ‘touch your vagina’ thing was based on a special on undercover police officers i saw on the discovery channel. The police would pretend to be johns, and try to pick up hookers. The hookers would ask the police officers to touch them, and the cops would have to find a way to not do so, but not look suspicious.
Anyway (in my personal theory on this issue at least), if you want to see if someone is a cop, doing something like asking him to beat up a stranger who is walking by might be a good way to determine if he is or not. Not very nice, but it might work.
I…can’t…resist…
Hah! “Do a body cavity search on me, in order to prove that you aren’t a cop”. I’m sure that works real well. How about “Arrest and handcuff me, just so that I can be sure you aren’t a cop”?
You’re correct.
In general, the police labor under guidelines imposed by their departments. The law does not generally act to prevent a cop from taking a hit off a joint to prove he isn’t a cop during an undercover investigation.
Prosecutors would exercise their prosecutorial discretion and not file charges against such an officer. Even if, in some bizarre situation, they didn’t, the officer would have an estoppel-type or due-process defense available: he reasonably relied on his superiors in the police department to tell him what he was legally permitted to do, and followed that advice.
- Rick
I wouldn’t consider this unfortuante at all. Any time criminals think – incorrectly – that they’re smarter than law enforcement, they’re gonna get caught.
–Cliffy
I think they can’t answert directly but I could easily see a cop coming nup with a lot of bullsh*# that doesn’t directly deny the allegation. Like laughing like a loon and saying “Do I look like a cop? I can’t believe you’s ask taht question. You insult me…blah blah blah” He never outright denied just implied…You’d be surprised how stupid some people are.
Did you read MeBuckners post?
The cop can say “no, I am not a cop” How can you be more direct than that?
See, I’ve always heard that if you ask the same question 3 times, they have to answer on the third time. 
If I dont have coke or a vigina handy?
Because what they tell you three times is true, no doubt. 
No, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
Your post suggests an incorrect answer contrary to the information already correctly supplied above.
To be clear, and, unfortunately, repetitious: a cop can directly and repeatedly lie about being a cop. He can say, “No, I am not, and have never been, a police officer.”
Perhaps, given Cliffy’s excellent point, I should just let this go, trusting the would-be criminals to be shocked, outraged, and appalled when they’re convicted after the cop that denied he was a cop testifies against them.
But if we’re fighting ignorance here, then this isn’t the right thing to do. So, mipiace: COPS CAN LIE, DIRECTLY, AND SAY THEY AREN’T COPS.
OK?
- Rick
Okay Bricker Ya’ got me you dirty rat, I am guilty of not readin gBrickners post before I posted my own but…perhaps you are also guilty of not reading Tony Montanas’ post before you posted yours. Perhaps you were busy fondling your coke or sniffing…wait, I got that backwards too didn’t I?
Take it easy Rick