is it illegal for a police officer to not inform a citizen they are law enforcment?
608191
No it's not, if they arrest your they have to read you your rights, and sometimes they do that at court.
785591
Many police are covered under umbrella immunity provisions.\n\nThe police officer needed a malicious reason to arrest you - given that you did not break the law.  A good attorney will file an illegal arrest lawsuit (or maybe a class action lawsuit if this rogue officer has mistreated other people in the same way).
459536
It sounds like in your particular case, you don't want to sue the individuals, but the District Attorney's office and the Police Department. Individuals are only liable for their conduct in a public office if they knowingly violate someone's civil rights, and it requires a fairly grevious violation of civil rights. The police had to have reasonably known that they were violating a solidified right. Otherwise, they have qualified immunity.\n\nEdit: I wanted to add that the holders of a particular office are only protected from civil litigation, not from being sued to force them to do something they are obligated to do by law, but you would be suing the department really, not the individuals.
63193
In California, the arresting person need not even be a citizen.  It's technically referred to as a "private person's arrest," rather than a citizen's arrest for that reason.
244890
There is no obligation for anyone to say anything that might incriminate themself.  However, if you did not answer questions regarding the ownership of the car, confirm your name and address, you would most probably be arrested on suspicion of stealing that car.\nIf you refuse to speak in court, having made a witness statement, you could most probably be held to be in 'contempt', or treated as a 'hostile witness'.  If you never made a statement, I doubt if anything could be done, as no one could tell if you had any evidence to give.
660685
he can just give you a warning, he can give you a ticket, or since a ticket is given in lieu of an arrest, he could arrest you....its officer's discretion\n\n\nthere is no law that says an officer HAS to issue you a ticket
378434
This is a question you could ask at your neighbourhood police station.  Guessing, as an ordinary citizen, I doubt very much if they would have to, since it would probably interfere with their work.
837382
Police officers cannot work in a vacuum.  If they don't have the cooperation from citizens who give them information then it is very difficult to stop many criminals.  Why would you worry about getting arrested if you don't do anything against the law?  It is actually extremely easy to follow the law of the land.  I have lost track of the number of times that in my small town there were several people who knew exactly what was going on in the town in regards to who was doing B&Es but no one wants to get involved.  Police need information and there is no magic way of getting this.  \nAlso,  I spend a lot of time going to calls where people are complaining that their 6 year old is getting beat up by the neighbours 6 yr old or complaints that their neighbour is putting snow in their driveway.  Most police services are extremely understaffed, at least in my part of the world, and it takes many officers and lots of man hours to be effective against the crimes you mention.\nDo you know what the number one complaint I get from people when I meet them?  People speeding in their neighbourhoods.\n\nAs for arresting "good" people? I arrest people when I have reasonable and probable grounds to believe they have committed criminal offences.  Are some of them "good"? Yes I suppose some of them are.  But you can be a great citizen and neighbour and still hit your wife.
889712
If you know who it is, tell the police. That is illegal.\n\nCheers!
452005
All your questions sound like homework.  Of course an officer can ask for the names of the people staying at a hotel.  The hotel doesn't have to provide it though unless there's a court order, but since it's "their" information they can choose to do what they want with it.  You have no right to force the hotel not to disclose your name, and any reputable hotel will gladly assist the police out.  \n\nIf the hotel has a state policy of not handing out names you'd be limited to suing the hotel for breach of contract.  You wouldn't be able though to prevent the government from not persuing you though on this since they did nothing illegal, and neither did the hotel.  The hotel broke the contract but absent a law stating they can't give out your name it's not illegal.
739625
First off, the police do not have to advise you that you are being recorded.  The courts have ruled that you have no expectation of privacy when talking to the police, especially in a police station, and that they police can record you with or without your knowledge or permission.\n\nSecond, in the police world "person of interest" usually  means "suspect."  "Person of interest" is just a nice way to say things.\n\nWith regards to releasing or sharing evidence, the decision to do that is based on the agency's rules and state laws.  We do not do that where I work.  The police may have done so to prove to the victim that you were NOT the person who committed the crime and totally clear your name.  It may have been a service to you!\n\nCall the agency who gave you the poly and ask them about it.  They will probably tell you why you did that.
467203
The law on this topic is very, very complicated but the key fact is that the police are allowed to use "reasonable deception" in the course of an investigation, provided that the police do not encourage the suspect or person under surveillance to do anything that he or she was not already going to do. For example, it's totally OK for the police to pose as drug dealers and allow potential customers to approach them and buy drugs, and use that act as evidence against them, but it is not OK for the police to SOLICIT the buyers. So in the case of the "are you wearing a wire" question, it is totally OK for the cop to lie and say "no" because that falls under "reasonable deception."\n\nAs for signing a contract stating that you are not a cop, or not wearing a wire, any contract made in preparation for or during an illegal act is null and void. If you hire a hit man to kill your wife and he takes your money but doesn't kill her, you can't sue him...
1072280
usually not that would be a breach of privacy unless they are a sex offender... the police have access to that info but they can not release it to the general public
292905
Unless the person is a Government (public) employee, you'd need to subpeona that information with a court order.  You couldn't just get that information because you were curious.
1102267
Cops are trained to use intimidation tactics in order to obtain a confession.  Once you are read your rights and agree to talk, then everything is pretty much fair game. \n\nEven if you are innocent (which differs from being not-guilty), it is rarely advantageous to talk to the police if you are being, or could be charged with a crime. When stopped, ask if this is a custodial stop or informational.  You are under no obligation to talk to an officer, or remain at a scene with an officer unless you are being legally detained (which would constitute a custodial stop).  \n\nCops are rated on the number of arrests they make.  If they are a detective, and make few arrests, then they can count on losing that prime job in quick order.
724098
Don't tell the police.  It's the court and the legal aid board who will be interested.  The police don't deal with this side of things.  Not at this stage, anyway!
1032600
Your local law enforcement organization would be happy to talk to you about this. Seek there advice.\n\nTrust me on this one.\n\nYour issue about working under the table shouldn't even come into question unless something illegal was going on. We've all had to work under the table at some point in our lives to make ends meet.\n\nWhatever you do, avoid lying about anything. Leaving a small item out is one thing, lying is entirely different.\n\nBut really, police officers, especially old school guys are happy to talk to guys seriously interested in joining the force.