Photo: deltaMike

If an Utah cop wants to ask you questions, remember that you can always refuse to answer questions.  If you do choose to talk to a cop, or the cop says that you have to speak with him because you are detained, there are a two things you cannot do.

You cannot lie to the cop about yourself.  It is a Class C misdemeanor if you give the police officer a false name, false birthdate, or false address.  If the cop asks about any of those, you should truthfully answer to protect yourself from being charged with giving false information to a peace officer.  It is a Class A misdemeanor if you represent yourself as another person to a police officer when he asks about your identity.  If you give the cop someone else’s name, birthday, or address, you can be charged with a more serious crime.

You cannot fail to disclose your identity.  It is a class B misdemeanor to refuse to give a cop your name if he demands it.  Remember, the time to fight a charge is in court, not during your police stop.

If you have been charged with giving false information to a peace officer or failure to disclose identity, contact a qualified attorney who can help defend you against this charge.

See Utah Code § 76-8-507 & 76-8-301.5