# Things I learned from watching TV cop shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [May 9, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820 "2023-05-09T18:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/401 "2023-06-08T05:09:25Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I guess you didn’t see the first Rockford Files, where Jim hits an airplane with his snub nose, and the thing explodes like it was hit with a cruise missile. The very first episode. But the plane didn’t explode; it was disabled (leaking oil, I think) and forced to land. Rockford earns extra cool points for where he kept his gun. > [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > When there’s an explosion and one or more people are killed, the only human remains are blood. No bone fragments, no shredded bits of clothing, no brain material—only blood. Yeah, when a guy gets blown to bits, there should be bits o’ guy. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/402 "2023-06-08T10:57:43Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I used to be a company appointed official Mancunian translator. There’s just no reason for people to talk that way. Heh, translating from ‘English’ to English-- that sounds like a comedy bit. Though [after watching a video I found on Mancunian speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ffIOaj-Gdg), I can see what you mean. That video were dead good. I’m skrikin’ laughin’ at owt about Mancunian talk now. I can see now why it mithered ya. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/403 "2023-06-08T12:13:54Z")
If there is ever a mole in the department - it will be your older/wiser partner. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/404 "2023-06-08T12:34:48Z")
For the same reason the Mod Squad drove Ford station wagons- so they could blend in with the hip criminal underground. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/405 "2023-06-08T13:41:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > If the police tell you you’re completely safe because there are X cops in the building, you’ve just been invited to play the Countdown Game. The well-meant but emptiest words ever spoken: _“Agree to testify! We can protect you!”_ 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/406 "2023-06-08T13:54:52Z")
In the Mad Magazine parody of The FBI, the helicopter was an early '60s Falcon. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/407 "2023-06-08T14:14:27Z")
Here’s one cop show cliche that’s actually true IRL. If you are being questioned by the police, it is a felony (possibly several) for YOU to lie to them about ANYTHING (including by omission), but with a few minor exceptions, THEY can lie to you about almost EVERYTHING. It doesn’t matter if you’re a suspect, a victim, a material witness, an innocent bystander, or anything else. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the police station, your own residence or workplace, the crime scene, or anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/408 "2023-06-08T15:19:17Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > It doesn’t matter if you’re a suspect, a victim, a material witness, an innocent bystander, or anything else. Oops, I forgot “person of interest.” ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/409 "2023-06-08T15:29:48Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > Oops, I forgot “person of interest.” That’s probably another cop show cliche that’s actually true IRL-- if the police say to the press, or whomever, that someone they questioned is just a “person of interest”, everybody knows that’s just a cute euphemism for “number 1 suspect”. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/410 "2023-06-08T18:22:13Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > Here’s one cop show cliche that’s actually true IRL. > > If you are being questioned by the police, it is a felony (possibly several) for YOU to lie to them about ANYTHING (including by omission), but with a few minor exceptions, THEY can lie to you about almost EVERYTHING. > > It doesn’t matter if you’re a suspect, a victim, a material witness, an innocent bystander, or anything else. > > It doesn’t matter if you’re at the police station, your own residence or workplace, the crime scene, or anywhere else. While it’s certainly true that lying to a federal agent is against federal law that’s often not the case at a local level. I got lied to all the time. There were a very few things that could get you arrested. Giving a fake name when stopped for a violation. Pretending to be someone else to keep from getting arrested on a warrant. Mostly things that would hinder your apprehension. Telling me you were at the movies when you weren’t? Not illegal. I can’t say that’s true of all states but it’s 100% correct for mine. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/411 "2023-06-08T18:41:14Z")
Even with the feds a lie has to be about material information concerning a crime. You can go full Joe Isuzu if you want and it’s not a crime unless the lie is related to a crime under investigation. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/412 "2023-06-08T21:34:38Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > If you are being questioned by the police, it is a felony (possibly several) for YOU to lie to them about ANYTHING (including by omission), but with a few minor exceptions, THEY can lie to you about almost EVERYTHING. In most states, the only exception is that they cant promise you a deal and lei about it. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/413 "2023-06-08T21:51:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > a lie has to be about material information concerning a crime. Thanks for the clarification. I thought that was implied, but it’s good to be accurate. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/414 "2023-06-08T22:08:32Z")
Can the police lie and tell you it’s a crime to lie to them? I think they can. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/415 "2023-06-08T22:09:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In most states, the only exception is that they cant promise you a deal and lei about it. What if they put a wreath of tropical flowers around your neck? Does that change anything? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/416 "2023-06-08T22:58:12Z")
Beat me to it! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/417 "2023-06-09T01:25:31Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > In most states, the only exception is that they cant promise you a deal and lei about it. > > What if they put a wreath of tropical flowers around your neck? Does that change anything? On a TV show that lei is probably hiding explosives. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/418 "2023-06-09T01:44:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > > > If you are being questioned by the police, it is a felony (possibly several) for YOU to lie to them about ANYTHING (including by omission), but with a few minor exceptions, THEY can lie to you about almost EVERYTHING. > > In most states, the only exception is that they cant promise you a deal and lei about it. We are getting in danger of taking a fun CS topic and turning it into FQ. There are very few lies a cop can say that would be illegal. It’s not a crime. But every state will have its own caselaw that will define what can be said. I worked under a set of caselaw that was much different than another state would be. It wasn’t a free for all. There were boundaries that couldn’t be crossed. I wouldn’t get arrested or lose my job if I made a mistake and crossed one of those boundaries but the interview would be tossed, everyone’s time would be wasted and the case might be ruined. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/419 "2023-06-09T01:58:41Z")
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from cop shows, it’s that if you do want to smack the suspect around a bit, all you need to do is reach up and unplug the camera in the corner. Noone will think that an eighteen-minute gap in the videorecording that ends with a bruised suspect shakily signing a full confession is in anyway suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/420 "2023-06-09T12:41:18Z")
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