It’s not just lying about being a cop, by the way. Cops are allowed to lie about anything.
Let’s repeat that: The police are allowed to lie to you… about anything.
The most common example of this is police interrogation. The cops are allowed to use any deception they like, in order to get a confession.
For example, they can tell you your partner’s being interrogated upstairs, and just confessed, so you’d better come clean if you know what’s good for you (when they haven’t even arrested your partner yet.) They can say the victim told them you did it before she died (when she’s actually still alive, and never said anything of the sort).
The biggest lie (and one that works all the time) is that this conversation is strictly off the record. “Just between you and me.” Nothing you ever say to a police officer is ever off the record. If it can be used against you, it will.
The second-biggest lie (also one that works all the time) is that, if you come clean, the officer will make sure you get treated leniently. He’ll make sure the DA gives you a lighter charge. He’ll put in a word with the judge to make sure you get off with a lighter sentence. He’ll only arrest you for the misdemeanor. Complete horseshit, of course — that cop’s going to make sure you go down for whatever it is you just confessed to — but it works all the time. People cut their losses, seeing themselves in a hopeless situation, and grasp at the opportunity to at least minimize the bad.
