What’s the procedure when a police officer goes undercover as a prostitute?—Will Cooper, Runnymede

Despite the dress-up potential, most female cops who perform streetwalking duty don’t bother with Pretty Woman–esque heels or hot pants. Jeans and a T-shirt, they say, are all that’s needed to get most Toronto johns salivating. Here’s how it normally goes down: the officer stands on a corner that’s been identified—by angry neighbours or by the cops themselves—as a pickup spot. Whenever a john approaches, the officer waits for him to tell her what he wants and how much he’s offering for it. She then gives a secret hand signal, and an arrest team of plainclothes cops charges in from the shadows. Assuming the john isn’t a wanted criminal, they’ll simply present him with a pre-arranged court date and send him on his disappointed way. Working in this assembly line fashion, a team of officers can make up to 10 arrests on a good night.

• Categories: Law