theurbanjedi

Yep.

I was dealing with a drug dealer, who was such a nice bloke, and honestly, I would have gone for a beer with him under other circumstances.

It was his day to be arrested, and he gave me my crack and heroin. I gave him my cash, and he said 'Chris, I really like you man. I really get in with you. But, can you just tell me one thing?' 'Sure' I said 'Youre not an undercover policeman are you? Because if you are, you legally have to tell me' Me: 'Nah, of course not mate'

Seconds later he had been pinned ot the floor and handcuffed by the arrest team, and it made me fell quite sad in fact.

Its an urban myth obviously, as some previous sub reddits have pointed out,

Whilst bored at the beginning of a long term drugs operation, I decided to adopt a faux-Russian accent. The job lasted for many months, and I found it somewhat exhausting to keep that up. Some drug dealers also thought it was a piss take, and it led to several comical arguments in seedy council estate stairwells.

Probably most difficult thing was pretending to be a paedophile, and being enthusiastic and discussing some of the most abhorrent things humanly possible.

In fact, did you know that Sandford is the name given to the fictional town used for practical and exam scenarios in UK police promotion exams, and this is before Hot Fuzz came out

Often

I don't worry about it consciously, but I take these weird subconscious precautions. Like I travel different routes to work, and I actively avoid particular areas, or try to.

I'm lucky because I worked in London, and London is huge. Anonymity is guaranteed. Also, I have been in the public eye, and I left the police several years ago, so I think if anyone wanted to get me, they would have done so by now.

If i was recognised in the street now, I would just deny it. I have enough confidence in myself and in the environment I am in to be able to get out of such a confrontation, but I wouldn't relish it at all.