Why do cops make up funny stories when detaining people?
<p>In case cops are decent human beings, and <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/38011/21569">these answers</a> are true and the nature of their stop just does not allow them to truthfully tell their victims the reason for the stop, why do they make up funny stories about it like:   </p>

<p>In Texas: <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/37057/21569">"<em>What if you fall and die, we need to know who to send the body to</em>"</a>  </p>

<p>In Oklahoma: <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/36393/21569"><em>bicycles need to have same speed as the cars</em></a>  </p>

<p>In Florida: "<em>Someone called us saying that you may need help</em> because you are riding your bike and it is so hot out here. (I am fine, can I leave?) No. Now that I made contact with you I have to ask for your ID. (Why?) Just to make sure you don't have an arrest warrant",  </p>

<p>In Skokie IL: "<em>You look suspicious for you are jogging without jogging pants</em>" (I was wearing casual wranglers pants)   </p>

<p>..and many more</p>

<p><strong>Are they actually required by law to tell the detainee "<em>a</em>" reason?</strong> Why do they not just say "Sorry, but I can not tell you what the reason is"? </p>

<p>This is a deescalation tactic. </p>

<p>By giving some ridiculous far out reason, the officer hopes to distract you from any combative or aggressive feelings you have about being stopped. You can do this too, if someone you think is getting progressively angrier might try and hurt you, bringing up something random forces their mind off their anger, even just for a moment. And sometimes, that's enough to avoid a conflict.</p>

<p>As for the legality of telling you the reason, no they are not required to tell you the reason, as has been mentioned several times on stack exchange. If an officer says to himself, "I think this guy has crack on him because of X," and it's captured on his body cam, then he's covered. He can prove to the court that he did have reasonable suspicion to detain you, even if he later tells you, "I have a report of zombies in the area and I need to see your ID to determine if you have a death certificate."  </p>

<p>In order to legally force you to produce an ID. Police need <em>reasonable articulable suspicion</em>. But, since cops are allowed to lie to you. They try to make things up to try and get you to product an ID if you have not been suspected of committing a crime. At that point if you willingly producing an ID, it was on your own accord. They can even threaten you with arrest, even thou they may have no legal ground for an arrest. </p>

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