Cropped view of a young Hispanic police officer standing outside his patrol car.

Knowledge really is power to a certain extent. There’s just no downside to taking the extra time and effort to educate yourself on what kinds of total nonsense lies that cops try to sell people on. Read up on these especially common lies that cops try to get away with, and you might spare yourself a whole lot of trouble further on down the road.

1. They Claim They Have Evidence Against You

An image of a couple of Sacramento sheriffs.
Sacramento sheriff/youtube

As troubling as it is, police are in fact permitted to tell you lies about being in the possession of physical evidence that literally doesn’t exist. In a heated moment when a police officer is grilling you, they might go so far as to claim that they found your DNA or even your fingerprints on a crime scene. This is where it’s crucial to remember that DNA and fingerprints evidence both take a significant amount of time to run the proper analysis on. As for what a police officer might try to tell this lie, it could be motivated by their desire to trick you into giving up your DNA. Thew worst part about that is that if your DNA or fingerprints end up matching what they find at the crime scene, they could end up employing that evidence to convict you.

2. Obstruction Of Justice

A still image from a COPS episode.
cops full episodes/youtube

Fortunately, this lie is easy to see right through. A police officer might claim that you’re obstructing justice through your refusal to confess to a crime that they claim you’ve committed. However, take a deep breath. This is an outright lie. It’s one of your constitutional rights to refuse to answer a law enforcement officer’s questions.

3. They Claim You’re Off The Record

A still image of a cop searching a car.
cops full episodes/youtube

You’ll often see this terrible, deceptive tactic being used in the more dramatic law and order-themed shows. If you find yourself in the unfortunate predicament of being stowed away in an interrogration room where you’re face-to-face with an angry-faced officer, you must be ready for them to try everything to get the information they’re after. This could amount to an officer lying to you about you being off the record during a confession. Just don’t fall for it.

4. They Claim You’ll Be Prosecuted More Harshly If You Don’t Cooperate

A still image of a couple of cops.
cops full episodes/youtube

This is just pure manipulation at its worst. In the high-stress scenario where you’re being intensely grilled by an onslaught of questions from a cop, they will try to use your fear to their advantage. This could amount to them suggesting that you’ll suffer a worser prosecution if you fail to cooperate and satisfy their demands. Don’t worry though, because the severity of your potential prosecution does not lie in their hands.

5. They Make Empty Promises About Helping You If You Cooperate

An image of a sheriff walking through a backyard.
real responders/youtube

If you’re really in the hot seat, and your future is looking increasingly grim, your own desperation for not having to live in a nightmare reality can work against you. A cop might try to get the extra information out of you by holding the dreamy nugget of a less serious criminal offense for you, if you cooperate. This is unfortunately nothing more than an empty promise.

6. They Threaten That They Can Arrest Your Family And Friends

An image of a police car driving up a hill.
real responders/youtube

If you’ve committed a criminal offense and you know you’re going down one way or the other, you’re also likely wrestling with the emotional devastation that can be considering the ripple effect that your arrest will have on your family and friends. It’s bad enough to think about how heartbroken your family and friends might be, but it’s a whole another matter to consider a scenario where they end up being charged with criminal offenses themselves. Don’t worry about that though. That’s an empty threat with no weight being used by a police officer that misplaced their moral compass long ago.

7. They Claim They Have An Eyewitness Against You

An image of a female police officer pointing at a car that drove through a house.
copstv/youtube

This particular common lie being told by police officers is reminiscent of when a police officer claims they have evidence against you that could contribute to your ultimate downfall. If a police officer tries to tell you as cold hard fact that they possess evidence against you, absolutely make sure that you stay silent. You have your right to remain silent, and also to acquire the expertise of a seasoned criminal defense attorney. Even if you’re innocent, this isn’t a bad idea.

Meet the Writer

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.