> I guess lying in that scenario would fall under "obstruction of justice" Yes. The police are allowed to lie to suspects, but suspects are not allowed to lie

> I guess lying in that scenario would fall under "obstruction of justice" Yes. The police are allowed to lie to suspects, but suspects are not allowed to lie to police. Lying is one of the main tools police use to manipulate suspects into giving up information or confessions. Unfortunately, this means you can't trust the police under any circumstances. You don't know what they know or believe about you. You may not have been aware that something you were doing is a crime, and accidentally confess. Since the police are allowed to lie, and they're trained, skilled and experienced manipulators, if you think you're helping them do good things and what you're telling them won't get you in trouble -- perhaps you are completely innocent! -- you have no way of knowing whether these thoughts are a correct analysis, or something they've carefully manipulated you into believing so you'll help them send you to jail. The thin paper shield of the Fifth Amendment is really all that stands between just about everybody and prison, once the police and prosecutors have decided to go after you. That being said, it's not that police as a whole are bad -- for every politician pushing harsh penalties to be "tough on crime," every prosecutor who's trying to advance her career by maxing her "lives ruined" score, every judge who's receiving kickbacks to fill prison beds -- I'd say there are at least a dozen, and quite probably many more, dedicated law enforcement professionals out there who genuinely believe in truth and justice and putting their lives on the line to protect innocent people, and try their utmost to live up to those ideals. It's just that, when you interact with them, you have no idea what type you're dealing with, what they believe or have learned about you, or whether there's some obscure regulation you've unknowingly been violating. So it's safest not to take the risk. Same principle as not talking to strangers when you're a young child -- for every sick pedophile or would-be kidnapper, there are at least a dozen, and quite probably many more, strange adults who are simply friendly ordinary people, but you just can't take the risk because the bad ones are so good at manipulating you, you'll have no clue until it's far too late.