History Main / MustStateIfYoureACop

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

-->'''Taub''': Relax, I'm not a cop! Cops aren't allowed to say that, right?
-->'''Dealer''': ''[Stopping]'' ...they are, but if you were a cop you'd know that.

[[folder: Web Animation ]]

-->'''Wash''': I'm not the police. And that's not a real law.\\
'''Sister''': Well, if you're not a cop, then how do you ''know'' it's not a real law? ''Busted!''

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

-->Leela: "No, in fact, he's a crook." (Points to Bender)
-->Bender: "Stolen Pez anyone?"

* In one of the last seasons of ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', Hector Estrada, the last guy left from the group who killed Dexter's mother, gets paroled from prison and Dexter pretends to be a criminal and approaches Estrada so he can get close enough to kill Estrada. Estrada agrees to talk business at a later date, but first requires Dexter to loudly and clearly state that Dexter isn't a cop. Dexter, who really isn't a cop but a forensic examiner, does so without hesitation. Even if he were, it wouldn't count for much, since Dexter's intent isn't to arrest him.

* In one of the last seasons of ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', Hector Estrada, the last guy left from the group who killed Dexter's mother, gets paroled from prison and Dexter pretends to be a criminal and approaches Estrada so he can get close enough to kill Estrada. Estrada agrees to talk business at a later date, but first requires Dexter to loudly and clearly state that Dexter isn't a cop. Dexter, who really isn't a cop but a forensic examiner, does so without hesitation.

** In an earlier scene, Max insists that Tom tell him if he's a police officer, saying that legally he has to tell him.

* In ''Film/EightMM'', Tom and Max go into an underground porn market and a guard at the door asks everyone who goes in if they're police officers or affiliated with the police. From his wording and intonation, it's clear he's been instructed to ask the same question to everyone, presumably under the belief that cops are required to answer.

[[AC:Comic Books]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC: Literature]]

[[AC: Live-Action TV]]

[[AC: Web Animation]]

[[AC: Web Comics]]

[[AC: Western Animation]]

* In 'Film/EightMM", Tom and Max go into an underground porn market and a guard at the door asks everyone who goes in if they're police officers or affiliated with the police. From his wording and intonation, it's clear he's been instructed to ask the same question to everyone, presumably under the belief that cops are required to answer.

* In 'Film/8mm", Tom and Max go into an underground porn market and a guard at the door asks everyone who goes in if they're police officers or affiliated with the police. From his wording and intonation, it's clear he's been instructed to ask the same question to everyone, presumably under the belief that cops are required to answer.

'''Sister''': Well, if you're not a cop, then how do you *know* it's not a real law? *Busted!*

Contrary to popular belief, this is not TruthInTelevision: Entrapment is specifically when a law enforcement officer induces another person into committing a crime ''when they would have been unlikely to do so''. An officer has the complete legal right to lie about his identity if the job requires it. It isn't entrapment because whether or not the person is a cop would have no effect on their intentions to commit illegal acts, and undercover stings would be pretty darn useless if a cop was required to blow his cover whenever asked this question.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not TruthInTelevision: an officer has the complete legal right to lie about his identity if the job requires it. It isn't entrapment because whether or not the person is a cop would have no effect on their intentions to commit illegal acts, and undercover stings would be pretty darn useless if a cop was required to blow his cover whenever asked this question.

* In ''Series/TheMeetingPlaceCannotBeChanged'', Sharapov, an undercover MUR agent, faces this question when he tries to infiltrate a gang. He answers: "Do I have to provide a document from the Militsia that states I'm not in it"?

* Exploited in the ''Series/BreakingBad'' episode "[[Recap/BreakingBadS2E8 Better Call Saul]]": Badger is selling drugs on a park bench when an undercover cop named Getz walks up to him and asks if he's selling. Badger immediately suspects Getz is an undercover cop, pointing out two "inconspicuously" parked vans nearby that are clearly surveillance vehicles. Getz then explains to Badger that if you ask a cop to identify himself as a cop, he is obligated to tell you, and it's in the US Constitution. So Badger asks him if he's a cop. Getz holds up his hand, like he's swearing under oath, and says he's not a cop. Satisfied, Badger sells him a packet of meth. Getz takes the meth, then promptly draws a pistol and his badge, and arrests Badger on the spot. Later in the interrogation room, Badger is still peeved at Getz because he still believes that urban legend and thinks Getz is screwing around with the Constitution.

* In ''Film/TheDeparted'', during the talk with his criminal cousin Sean on the balcony, Costigan is asked to tell if he is a cop, which he denies.

* Discussed and then subverted in ''Series/BreakingBad''. An undercover cop manages to convince a meth dealer named Badger -- who already suspects the buyer is a cop, and as such isn't admitting to being a dealer -- that this law is "like, in the Constitution, or something." The cop then says directly that he's not a police officer, so Badger offers him meth and [[WhatAnIdiot promptly gets arrested]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'' episode "Guess Hoe's Coming to Dinner", Huey tries to get his grandfather to see that his new girlfriend Cristal is actually a prostitute. One question Huey asks is if Cristal is constantly asking Robert if he's a cop. She then walks by the two and tell Robert that he still hasn't answered that exact question, even mentioning the supposed "entrapment" part.

* In ''The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed'', Sharapov, an undercover MUR agent, faces this question when he tries to infiltrate a gang. He answers: "Do I have to provide a document from the Militsia that states I'm not in it"?

[[AC: Real Life]]
* As stated above, this does not apply in real life, as this would defeat the purpose of undercover stings.

* ''DeepCover'' includes a scene where the undercover cop protagonist is asked point blank if he's a cop. To cover himself and his investigation he admits that he is, but answers the question in an incredibly sarcastic way to [[CassandraGambit make it seem like he's bullshitting]].
* In ''TheDeparted'', during the talk with his criminal cousin Sean on the balcony, Costigan is asked to tell if he is a cop, which he denies.

* As stated above, this does not apply in real life, as this would defeat the purpose of undercover stings.