I was not implying that LEOs are out to steal my identity, but the less it's broadcast on a radio, written down, or even spoken outloud, the safer my identity will be, whether it's in McDonald's, Best Buy, or at a traffic stop.
I've never caught criminals, but if I'm being completely honest with an LEO who pulled me over and am who I say I am, but refuse to give my SSN, then there's no deception going on, despite what all the schools in the world may dictate. Whatever the case, it would seem that a SSN would be useless as an identifier if the motorist refuses to give it, since the LEO can't use the motorist's answer as an indication of truthfulness. This leads me back to my original question: What would you do/say if a motorist or suspect refused to furnish his/her social security number?