Q&A

What happens if you lie about being a cop?

What happens if you lie about being a cop?

The crime requires that the person making the false representation knows that the person to whom the false information is given is a peace officer engaged in his or her duties as a peace officer. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine and/or probation.

How can you tell a plain clothes cop?

Unmarked police vehicles can often be recognized by features like municipal plates, clusters of antennas, and dark tinted windows. When you’re scrutinizing a could-be cop in person, look out for short, neatly-groomed military hairstyles, heavy-duty boots, or baggy clothing with lots of pockets.

Do police officers have to identify themselves in plainclothes?

No, if a police officer is in plainclothes they only have to identify themselves when using their police powers but other than that they are not required to identify themselves and are allowed to lie about their identities.

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What happens if you give a fake identity to the police?

Any person who represents a fake or fictitious identity to a police officer either to evade the process of the court, or to evade the proper identification of the person, as long as he/she knew or should have known that he/she was representing the false information to a police/peace officer can be prosecuted under penal code 148.9.

Can a defendant know if a police officer is a peace officer?

If the defendant is encountered by someone wearing plain clothes and driving an unmarked car, without being presented additional information, the defendant is not expected to know that the person is a police/peace officer. The following links have information on the criminal court process in a misdemeanor:

When is a cop not dressed like a cop?

However, there are also many circumstances in which a cop is not dressed like one. For example, an officer going incognito to perform a sting, or simply on their day off, will not have any obvious identifiers. But Wait — Isn’t That Entrapment?