Training Cops to Lie - Pt 1
by Val Van Brocklin
Truth or Consequences
Police lie. It's part of their job. They lie to suspects and others in hopes of obtaining evidence. These investigative lies cover a wide web of deception - a web that can get tangled. Some investigative lies are legal, some are not, and some generate significant disagreement amongst courts, prosecutors, the public and officers themselves.
There are serious consequences here. Officers can:
•Be sanctioned by the courts.
•Be sued.
•Be disciplined in the job.
•Lose the public's confidence.
•Have evidence suppressed, a case dismissed and a criminal freed.
Proper training in this complex arena is critical.
Training Cops to Lie - Pt 1 - Officer.com
Training Cops to Lie, Pt 2
by Val Van Brocklin
The "L" word
It was the use of the "L" word that did it. If I had titled last month's article Legal Parameters of Strategic Deception, instead of Training Cops to Lie, I doubt there would have been a brouhaha. If you'd like to see a brouhaha, just click on the web link to Part 1, below, and read all the way through the comments at the end of the article.
My intent in Part 1 was to posit that the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that the duties of law enforcement may require limited, officially sanctioned deception in the course of criminal investigations. United States v. Russell, 411 U.S. 423, 434 (1973). ("Criminal activity is such that stealth and strategy are necessary weapons in the arsenal of the police officer.")
Even criminal defense attorneys empathize with this necessity,
Training Cops to Lie, Pt 2 - Officer.com
Yup, you've got to get your lies just so if you want them to work on the people involved.
Remember, it's a secret so we musn't call them lies, it sounds dirty.