Should be okay.
"Twelve states require, under most circumstances, the consent of all parties to a conversation. Those jurisdictions are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington."
try google
Ask to go on a ride along. Unless you want to tape them for some other purposes? In that case, I would hope you never need them for anything later on...
Absolute Lies.As long as they don't suspect you of being here illegally. Then they can arrest you. Just make sure you don't have brown skin, you should be fine.