It isn't, except for in specific cases.WildBill wrote:So why is it against the law to lie to the police?Frost wrote:Allowed, ha, they are trained to lie.
If a cop walks up to you with no reason (just random selection of people walking down the street) and asks you if you have a gun, there is no law saying you have to answer him at all, let alone answer him honestly.
There are only two times it is illegal to lie to the police. The first has already been posted (can't lie about who you are if you are under arrest, a suspect, or a witness). The second is that you cannot lie about something that is material to a legal investigation the police are conducting. You cannot be forced to answer then, but you cannot lie.
Unfortunately, the flip side is also true, and worse. There is no law requiring the police to tell you the truth at any time other than related to a trial. They cannot lie under discovery or on the stand.
As for the request for a citation, think about it. Our laws are based on the principle that anything not forbidden is permitted. I cannot prove a negative, but the request for a citation that they are forbidden does answer the question. Furthermore, we all know cops can lie. What else is an undercover operation but a lie? And we are all aware of that.