This double standard in the law will shock you, but it's completely legal. The cops are entitled to lie to you, but you're not entitled to lie to the police. You're being questioned by a police officer. He tells you, "We've already got the evidence that you did this crime. In fact, we've got a video of it. We just want you to tell us your side of the story." He's completely lying and he's never seen evidence that you committed this crime. But he wants you to think that he's got it. Because police are entitled to lie to you, that means they can trick you into making statements against yourself and they can trick you into confessing to a crime that they never could have proven you committed. But it is illegal for you to initiate a report that's false to police. And it is punishable by up to 12 years in prison if it causes significant disruption to emergency services. Just remember this.