Question for you guys.

[Midlodemocrat]

Is it a crime to knowingly and fasely give information to a police officer? I'm not talking about the whole 'filing a false report' issue. I'm talking about approaching a police officer, and giving them false and misleading information about someone and their activities?

Does anyone know?

It strikes me that it is a crime because the situation could escalate and people could get hurt.

[SOteric]

1. I dunno if it's a crime. But I know

I'd have to bring it up at confession.

[Dangerously Amused]

2. Anything you say or do to a cop

...to intentionally create more work for him/her, or to frustrate his/her ability to carry out his/her job is a crime usually called "obstructing." That would include the fact pattern in your scenario.

[Midlodemocrat]

12. Thanks, DA. That is what I thought, but I was unsure.

[flvegan]

18. You and your actus reus.

I think I got that right.

[Dangerously Amused]

20. You're thinking of my corpus delecti.

It comes with being an attractive nuisance.

[madinmaryland]

3. Are you becoming a Republican??

Yes it is a crime to give false or misleading information to an officer of the court.

Unless you are KKKarl Rove.

[NJmaverick]

4. I don't know for sure, but if you are really curious I could ask one of my friends

more details would be helpful though

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Details are

that a police officer was approached by someone and told misleading and false information. The police officer, of course, acted on it, and fortunately, it turned out to be a big nothing.

My thought is that if the person who was being approached by the officer was of a different sort of person, it could have been a very different outcome to the situation.

Additionally, it would seem to me that knowingly lying to a police officer would also endanger the officer and be a waste of his time.

[NJmaverick]

6. I should see my friend tonight, I will ask if there is any

penalty for giving false tips.

[Midlodemocrat]

8. Thanks, appreciate it.

[PeaceNikki]

9. Dangerously Amused answered the question in this thread.

[NJmaverick]

14. Keep in mind this is under NJ law and I didn't have a lot of time to chat

but basically he said if there was no formal report made, there isn't much the police could do about a false tip.

[sasquatch]

7. It is for Federal Agents

Ask Marion Jones if you don't believe me.

[MrCoffee]

10. What do you think the definition of filing a false report is?

It's knowingly giving false information to the police.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Even if it is just verbal?

I was hoping you would weigh in.

[Symarip]

13. It may be a crime on the books

But it ain't a crime in my book.

ACAB - All Cops Are Bastards.

And if they didn't see it, I didn't do it.

[Shell Beau]

15. ACAB?

What a shitty thing to say.

[Symarip]

19. Oh?

Ever had your head bashed in because you look different by a cop?

Ever been 'profiled' as a gangbanger just because you have tattoos?

Ever had your friends get arrested by the same cop they buy drugs from on a regular basis?

Ever been pulled over and had your black friend harassed even though you were the one at fault?

Ever had a cop beat your ass because your mom put you out and had no where to go and so you were sleeping in a decent neighborhood when someone called the cops?

Yeah. I've never ever said, thank god the cops are here. If there's a good cop, I've never seen it and I've pretty well been everywhere. Maybe it's different for you, but cops are about as welcomed in my presence as the plague.

[Shell Beau]

21. No I haven't. But my brother is a cop.

He's had to go to parents houses and tell them their children were killed in car accidents.
He had to find a little kidnapped girl duct-taped and murdered in a garbage can.
He had hits out on him for arresting the head guy of a dangerous gang.
He had to drive into hurricane Katrina when everyone else was leaving. He rescued several people during that storm.
He had to be tethered to a 4 story roof to help talk a guy down from suicide and the guy jumped right in front of his face.

So, yeah, for every shitty cop, there is one out there that gives a shit and puts their life on the line. My brother has almost been killed in the line of duty. And he is proud to HELP people. And he is NOT a bastard.


I just wanted to add also that since today is Sept. 11 that those cops that ran into the burning towers to help people were also NOT bastards.

[Taverner]

29. Guys...gals...lend me your ears

Stuff happens at both ends of the spectrum

And then there are folks like you and me, somewhere in the middle in the bell curve of rationality

[cwydro]

16. I would think that would definitely be a crime.

But it might be hard to prove it.

[rug]

17. It's a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Look at Section D.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-460

(I know, I know, I should be reading the book.)

[billyskank]

22. In Britain there is a crime for "wasting police time."

Lying to the police about stuff that somebody else did when actually they didn't would certainly qualify.

[applegrove]

23. I would say absolutely yes. Why do you ask. You never lie to the police.

[Midlodemocrat]

24. Oh, I wasn't the liar.

I was the lie -eee.

[applegrove]

27. Sorry for you.

[LostInAnomie]

25. Yes

Providing a false name/DOB/address, providing a false witness account, knowingly sending them in the wrong direction after a suspect, etc.

At the very least, it is a misdemeanor. At worst, you could be charged as an accomplice.

[Nikia]

26. Obstructing an officer

Keep in mind though that sometimes the person filing a false report is not charged because the police are not sure if it really is a false report (the suspect might have stopped engaging in said activity or gotten rid of the evidence by the time the police could investigate) or that the report is filed with that intention (the informant might have misinterrpretted what he/she heard or saw).

[SoxFan]

28. It's illegal

New Hampshire RSA 641:4

False Reports to Law Enforcement. – A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if he:
I. Knowingly gives or causes to be given false information to any law enforcement officer with the purpose of inducing such officer to believe that another has committed an offense; or
II. Knowingly gives or causes to be given information to any law enforcement officer concerning the commission of an offense, or the danger from an explosive or other dangerous substance, knowing that the offense or danger did not occur or exist or knowing that he has no information relating to the offense or danger.

[cwydro]

30. Hmm, I sure hope this has nothing to do

with that Taco Bell incident. ;-)