Officer here, just celebrated my 5th year as a public servant. I just want to confirm that you are pretty much correct here.

My first 2 years as an officer, I was brand new, motivated, and really thought that I could make a difference. I was polite to the people I dealt with every day. I was made fun of by my friends who were veteran officers for spending much longer on my reports than they did. I was laughed at for following up with complaintants, and going out to get supplemental info in my off time. I didn't care, because I really did think that I was making a difference.

After about 2 years, someone made a comment to me that was a lot like yours... about not trusting cops because they're all dirty and anything that you said, they would use against you. For some odd reason, it caught me very off guard, and it shocked me. It's like I had subconsciously blocked myself from accepting how people actually view cops. It bothered me a lot. And after that, I started noticing constant reassurances that this feeling was real. I'd see it in comments on the local crime reporter's Facebook page, on forums, even here on Reddit.

So... I stopped. I accepted that I could not make the difference that I wanted to make, and while I still absolutely LOVED my job, I started doing the bare minimum. I stopped going out of my way to do proactive policing or community policing. I stopped following up with my complaintants. I stopped pulling over when I saw vehicles disabled on the shoulder. I stopped being polite, and just dealt with the people who I was forced to deal with. No emotion, no effort, just yes, no, and get out of there to write a bare minimum, shit report and go on to the next call.

Let me tell you... I wish I had experienced this awakening 2 years earlier. I have an incredible union job, where I'm not likely to get fired, and I make great money! All I have to do is half ass my way through the job, and it's exactly what people expect.

So the long moral of the story is that you're exactly right. NEVER trust a cop, and never talk aside from what you are required to say or provide. Because I assure you, whatever you are being asked is for a reason. Never voluntarily let your shit get searched, even when you "have nothing to hide". Stay safe and good luck!