When talking to the police, always be truthful

[swarm]

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M*W: If you get pulled over for something, you are not under oath. It's only under oath when you should speak the truth.

That's not entirely true. If you are found to be purposefully deciving them about things you are required to tell them, like your name, you can be detained and possibly arrested depending on the state.

Most states if you are driving you have to have a valid license and proof of insurance. Non drivers usually can be required to identify themselves verbally.

Even if you aren't driving, if you are intoxicated in any way, don't be a jerk. A cop can arrest you on a PI charge strickly on his personal assesment of your behavior. Even if you beat it later, is being an ass worth a trip to the station?

 

[Roman]

It's best not to fuck with cops, but be cowed and mild-mannered, because of cock-suckers who fellate dudes with badges. If a cop happens to execute a black man in front of a large crowd, then attempt to illegally seize the evidence, there will be a bunch of dick gobblers out there to stand up for a cop's right to beat you because they wish the long arm of the law would give them a reach around.

 

[Nasor]

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M*W: If you get pulled over for something, you are not under oath. It's only under oath when you should speak the truth.

False. In the United States you can be arrested for lying to government agents, even if you aren't under oath. Check Title 18 of the US Code, Section 1001.

It's really best to never say anything to law enforcement about anything related to a serious crime. Title 18 requires you to knowingly lie to investigators, but you might have a very difficult time convincing them that you were making an honest mistake if you tell them something that you believed to be true but later turned out to be false. Even if you are innocent and are providing true information that you think would make you look less guilty, it could still come back and bite you.

Suppose the cops are asking about a murder that occurred in a certain part of town. You weren't anywhere near that part of town on the night in question, and you truthfully tell them that. Later the police find someone who mistakenly believes they saw you in that part of town. The mere fact that you were in that part of town would never be enough for them to charge you with the crime - but if they think you've lied about being there, they might be able to spin that into a conviction. After all, why would you have lied about being there? Had you said nothing, the mistaken witness' false information would have been of no consequence. But because you told the truth to the police, you're now in a world of trouble.