18. Using undercover decoys. While using undercover
officers to pose as interested parties in illicit same-sex
public activity can lead to many arrests, such operations
have not had long-term effectiveness in reducing overall
activity levels. At best, they temporarily displace the
activity to other locations, and the activity usually returns
to prior levels once the operations have ceased. Further,
given the active role that undercover officers must take to
confirm suspects' intentions, the police may be vulnerable
to entrapment claims. In addition, many officers are
reluctant to serve as decoys because of the customary
behavioral scripts they must follow.49 Finally, some may see
the serious social consequences of the publicity following
an arrest as disproportionate to the severity of the
offense.50
