Does an undercover police officer have to identify himself/herself if asked?
A.This is one of the biggest myths of law and law enforcement today. People often confuse the law against police entrapment with the requirement that an undercover officer must identify himself/herself if asked. Police officers may not coerce an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime, with the intention of arresting him or her once the crime is committed. However police, in the course of investigation, may conceal their identity from the suspect. Further, undercover law enforcement officers are exempt from criminal penalties for certain laws broken during the course of investigation; for example sale, purchase, and possession of controlled substances. Some police action during investigation may cross-over to illegal police activity. A criminal defense attorney has the experience and knowledge necessary to determine if police action has crossed such a line, and may be able to exclude evidence obtained from being used against you at trial.
