> But you can’t make the conclusion that they lie if you don’t listen to them.

Sure I can. I can listen to and evaluate reliable outside sources.

> Listen, evaluate, determine. Three basic tenants that are required for critical thinking.

Sure, absolutely. But I don't need to do that with every possible source. I can listen to lawyers, activists, and cons/ex-cons all agree that cops can and will lie, evaluate the consistency of the claims over multiple sources, and determine that cops are an unreliable source of information. Once I've determined, through critical evaluation, that cops aren't reliable, then there's no point in me asking a cop if cops lie. Obviously the cop is going to say no, regardless of whether or not that's actually true.

> If you can’t even do those three basics, then there’s no legitimate basis to your beliefs.

Fortunately for me, I can.