Plainclothes Law Enforcement
Undercover agents should not be confused with law enforcement agents who wear plainclothes. This method is used by police and intelligence agencies. To wear plainclothes is to wear "ordinary clothes", instead of wearing a uniform to avoid detection or identification as a law enforcement agent. However, Plainclothes police officers typically carry normal police equipment and normal identification. Police detectives are often assigned to wear plainclothes instead of the uniform typically worn by their peers. Police officers in plainclothes must identify themselves when asked and/or confronted by a civilian. The principal difference is that undercover agents will often work under an assumed identity whereas plainclothes police will normally use their own identity. Plainclothes officers can also be assigned to go undercover, under an assumed alias or identity. However, when "confronted" they must identify themselves as law enforcement; Whereas undercover detectives are not required to do so.
Read more about this topic: Undercover
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