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Unmarked Police Cars On Traffic Stops

nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
This was discussed around the station the other day. I have always instructed my wife and children, DO NOT STOP for a car with flashing lights in the grille, on the dash, or one of those Kojak lights stuck on the roof with a magnet.

Any darn fool can rig up a flashing light and then use it to stop cars and do God only knows what to the victims when they stop. This has been known to happen often enough it is unremarkable.

My rule: Don't stop for an unmarked car. Move over and give him room to get by, but don't stop. If they want you to stop bad enough, they will get a marked unit there. Same rule applies for a smooth car at night, when you can't see the markings. A smooth car is a marked car without overhead lights.

If you must stop, go directly to the local police station and stop. If that is not practical, pull into a well-lighted and populated store parking lot or shopping center and stop. But NEVER, NEVER, NEVER stop out in the middle of nowhere for a car that you do not KNOW is being operated by a real police officer.

Some of my buddies opined that a person might go to jail for not stopping. My response: "All that is is money. I can write a check to a bail bondsman. I can write a check to an attorney. But I can't get a new wife and/or kids."

I figure a dirtbag won't go to the trouble to mark a car properly and put a lightbar on the roof, but they will spend $40 for a light to get people to stop.

Any opinions?

SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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Comments

  • E.WilliamsE.Williams Member Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You are right on.There have been too many occurences of people impersonating officers and robbing,rapig,or killing their victims.My father has told my mother the same he says if it is a cop in about 60 seconds yu will have 5 marked cars behind you then you know to stop.I would rather pay some money than my family have to face something like a criminal impersonating a officer.

    Eric S. Williams
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Same thing I told my wife & daughter. I doubt the legal system in any sane jurisdiction would prosecute someone for not stopping for an unmarked car in a deserted area in the dark. Especially if the driver is not making any blatant attempt to avoid arrest and does pull up to a police station / lighted area & wait for the officer (?).
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  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Anyone see the movie "Bad Liutenant"? There is a great scene where the "Bad Lietenant" pulls over a "couple of beautiful girls."

    "The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
    -James Madison
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  • beantolebeantole Member Posts: 1,086 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nunn, you are right and I have counseled my wife and others to do what
    you recommend. Never pull over on a dark and isolated road for any cop either. Put your flashers on and drive slowly to a well lit area where
    there are other people like a gas station. You might be charged but you will not be convicted, in fact our state police say so much in their public service announcements on the radio.
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    AGREE.

    Get on the mobile phone too and tell the 911 operator (which will all be recorded for your benifit), "There is a car behind me with a flashing light trying to make me pull-over, it doesn't look like a police car. I'm really scared. Can you help me please?"
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  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Its different everywhere but here unmarked cars are usually running Radar on the interstate,and there should be no hesitation to stop.Most Investigators drive unmarked vehicles one of ours had a Chevy Blazer,but he got a new car.Most Officers if they find a reason to stop you wont do it in the middle of no where for their own safety.He will wait until he finds a suitable place to Bluelight you.I would and do give the same advice about not stopping in the middle of no where,and Officers understand that.If they follow their SOPs you will know their legitimate.If in doubt dont speed up, do as someone else said drive normally to a PD.or a public place.If your female and dont try to out run him,he would have to be a jerk to charge you for attempting to Elude.Its a dangerous world out there and you must be careful,but use common since as well.And if it were up to me there would be no unmarked Police cars,for the reasons we have just talked about.

    Rugster

    Edited by - Rugster on 07/19/2002 12:03:01
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  • Ms. BeastMs. Beast Member Posts: 496 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is no way I would stop on one of the dark country roads for a unmarked car! If I know I didn't do anything, I would just drive very nice to a populated area and then stop. I don't think you would get in trouble if you said you were scared, would you? We have had that type of stuff happen to many times around here. It is bad enough stopping for a marked car on a dark road when you are by yourself! Not that it happens to me, I am a good driver!!
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  • LowriderLowrider Member Posts: 6,587
    edited November -1
    When I was a kid, back in the Mesozoic Era, my cousin had a '58 Ford with a spotlight on the driver's door. We used to put red celophane over the spotlight lens and pull cars over at night by blinking it off and on. After they'd pull over we'd gun it and go roaring off, laughing like hell. We thought it was a real hoot until the night a local cop witnessed our action. We got our * reamed out good. If the same thing happened today we would probably get six months in the county slammer.

    Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.
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  • EVILDR235EVILDR235 Member Posts: 4,398 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nunn, you post here makes me think back about Caryl Chessman(The Red Light bandit).He started his crime spree in the late 1940s.
    Dr.Evil
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  • 96harley96harley Member Posts: 3,992 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I drive an unmarked car. Our policy as well as state law is that if you are in uniform driving an unmarked car, you may make traffic stops. If you drive an marked car you may make a stop even though you are in street clothes. Unmarked units can still make misdemeanor and felony stops as well.

    Our dept. requires a marked car assist an unmarked car in either case, depending on the situation. I wouldn't stop for an unmarked car
    until I got to a populated or well lit area. I have told my wife and daughters the same.
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    I have instructed my wife to wave at the driver of the unmarked vehicle and continue at a safe speed to a lighted, well occupied area. Leave her doors locked and call 911 on her cell phone. Tell them her location, and that she is being stopped by an unmarked vehicle. Then request a supervisor in a mark car before she will unlock her doors.

    I'll deal with the consequences if it offends them.

    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Glad to see so many of us think alike.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • Rob GreeneRob Greene Member Posts: 102 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sadly, I have to agree with all of you. It's pretty bad when we have to worry about people who would attempt to pull folks over for whatever reason they may have. It's a family story on my wife's side that a cousin or something used to place a Noxema jar on his dash and wear uniform styled clothes and drive by people and motion them over. One glance at the blue Noxema jar and most would pull over without a second thought. I hear it worked great until he motioned an off-duty policeman over...

    **It is your right to posess a firearm. In case of questions, please refer to ammendment 2, United States Constitution.**
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    All you have to do is ask the officer to please have a marked patrol car come to talk to you, otherwise, don't bother rolling your window down. If he gets angree and trys to yank you out, take off, and when a marked car gets in the chase, then pull over. If a marked car doesn't, then you need to call the real police and report it to them. Not only is it very easy to purchase overheads, but you can also get a uniform with all the bells and whistles, without ever prooving you actually work for a department.

    I recall learning about a guy here in Texas who had bought all that nice stuff, and put it on a used patrol car he got at auction. He even made his own ticket book, and would pull people over and write them tickets. He sexually assaulted a few woman, and when they'd report it, they didn't have an officer by that name working for them. And people kept calling asking where to take care of the traffic ticket, and the courthouse didn't have any record of it. They finally caught on, and when he pulled over an off duty officer, he got busted.

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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  • RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A few years ago some youngsters with fake lights (central Iowa) pulled over a mother of three driving home from work on a rural road....robbed, shot and killed her. Sure got folks around here spooked of unmarked cars.

    Edited by - Rembrandt on 07/20/2002 20:02:40
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    LTS: They will only do it once. Aggravated Assault using a motor vehicle might provoke a violent response. Also, it could get a nice officer indicted and convicted of a felony.

    Alternately, the city is liable for foolish actions of their officers up to $1 million. I could use an extra million, and I know some MEAN lawyers.

    Besides, the freeway is usually lit well enough to see if it is a police car or not.

    I change my position not at all.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • Judge DreadJudge Dread Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I dont stop for unmarked cars ,last time I did was at the police station after the officer chased me at 105 miles an Hour , the poor fellow had quite a bad time after I showed him my ID ....

    Practice was suspended , no longer resumed ,it's a bad mistake that can lead to fatal encounters ,specialy if LEO leaves the car with gun in hand dress in plain clothes showing no badge..

    (I go for the head) fast and mean.

    Good...? , Bad...? Who cares ? as long I am the one with the the gun.....
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  • SUBMARINERSUBMARINER Member Posts: 1,362 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    unmarked cars serve only one purpose and that is to steal your money via traffic citations,hell,virginia has them with child seats and for sale signs.chevy impalas at that not even the ole crown vic.and i dare ya,double dog dare ya lawyer etc etc not to stop.

    SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,RUSTY WALLACE FAN AND AS EVERYONE SO OFTEN POINTS OUT PISS POOR TYPIST e-mail:WNUNLEY@USIT.NET
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  • TazmuttTazmutt Member Posts: 862 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We live in a very rural area and I have never given any thought to this. I am printing this for my wife, even as we speak. Thanks for the good advice, heres hoping it never has to come in to play. Regards
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    If I don't recogize it as a bona fide police car, I ain't stopping. Same for my family. Whatever happens as a result of our not stopping we will deal with. All it takes is money. Maybe mine, maybe theirs, but still just money.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • will270winwill270win Member Posts: 4,845
    edited November -1
    Never pull over for an unmarked car! I had to bust someone in the head with a Craftsman "clicker" torque wrench for trying to "play" policeman. Couple of feller in Cantonment, FL trying to be funny and one ended up in the hospital. The other one ran off and gave the car to the state. He was arrested within a few hours. I never told my mom cause I was seventeen at the time and wasn't supposed to be over there so far from home.


    ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
    Will270win@nraonline.com
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  • njretcopnjretcop Member Posts: 7,975
    edited November -1
    Here in NJ, we have a new Superintendent of the State Police and now are seeing some of the things that SUBMARINER is talking about, blacked out windows, for sale signs, etc.

    It is dangerous to both the traveling public and the police themselves. It also makes for a public relations nightmare.

    Unmarked police cars have their place in police work, it is NOT, however, doing traffic stops.

    Charlie

    "It's the stuff dreams are made of Angel"NRA Certified Firearms InstructorMember: GOA, RKBA, NJSPBA, NJ area rep for the 2ndAMPD. njretcop@copmail.com

    Edited by - njretcop on 07/22/2002 06:12:13
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  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe NY is one of the states to ban unmarked cars for traffic stops. I haven't seen one in abot 6 years. I used to have a friend that had a thing for surplus police cars. He would park on the side of the road all the time, just to watch people jack on thier brakes. Just a plain white car with a spotlight and little hubcaps. Years ago there was a little town down near the PA line that ran old junkers as unmarked cars. At one time I was cruising around in a hopped up little Nova and got in a game of chicken with a 67 GTO. It lasted until I looked over to see the uniform and the Shotgun racked against the dashboard. Cop was really good natured though and let me go with a slap on the wrist. I haven't done anything stupid like that since.

    I agree with Nunn. I live out in the sticks. Last time I was pulled over, I drove to the next well lit intersection before pulling over. When he asked why it took so long to pull over, I told him and he was cool with it.

    Woods
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    About a million years ago, I was in Honolulu. I noticed some of the strangest police cars there. Buick Riviera, GTO Judge, hopped up Nova, Camaro, etc. Each was unmarked but for a single blue beacon on top. Each was driven by a uniformed officer on patrol. There were some regular blue & white marked cars as well.

    I asked a local, and he said that the Honolulu PD allowed officers that wanted to, to drive their own cars on patrol, and the City paid them mileage.

    I don't think they do it anymore.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    FYI) Did you know Hawaii is the only State in America not to have their own State Police. Also a friendly reminder you use your best judgement about not stopping for an unmarked car.But on the free way or interstate,or a populated area if you fail to stop you will more than likely be charged for failure to stop for a blue light and siren,attempt to elude and whatever else the Officer was stopping you for.During day light hours their should be no doubt if its a real Officer stopping you.But really for whatever reason your not stopping,DONT SPEED UP.Things will be hard enough for you as they are you dont want to go to jail maybe in a strange town.And let me assure you the Judges frown very hard in VA on these matters and it can end up costing you several fire arms on the wish list.If you are truly in doubt or have a bad feeling about where the Officer is stopping you continue at the speed limit until you get to a place where you feel more secure.But unmarked vehicles usually work the interstate where there should be no doubt its legitimate.And Officers have a standard of procedure (SOPS) for their own safety and are trained in proper traffic stops.For example he will not follow you until your 10 miles out of town in the middle of no where then pull you over.If it was up to me there would be no unmarked cars simply because of matters like this.I can give one good example I know a Depaerment that has a marked CamaroZ28 for running Radar on the Interstate,the car is not assigned to one particular officer.Which is also a bad policy because its not taken care of like it would be if one Officer only was assigned to it.But that car only runs day shift7am to 3pm then it is parked back at headquarters. I see the point from both sides and agree that I wouldnt want my wife to stop if she was in doubt.

    My 2 cents.

    Rugster
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In Kalif. there is a law that allows only black and white, or all white vehicles, with a department emblem on the doors, to be used for traffic enforcement.
    We used to have a sheriff that was Irish and liked the color green.
    Yep. All patrol cars were green and white, except traffic cars in contract cities, which were black and white.

    "If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • CORRENCORREN Member Posts: 466 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dont all patrol cars have gov. plates?
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  • nashflashnashflash Member Posts: 727 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    CORREN,in Texas some of your sheriff dept. and constables furnish their own vehicles and get a monthly car allowance and doing so prohibits them from having "Exempt" tags.
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    The unmarked cars used by CID and for surveillance by my PD don't have exempt plates. Makes them look less like a cop car. Like a Caprice Classic or Crown Vic don't already look like a cop car.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • Ms. BeastMs. Beast Member Posts: 496 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Now that we know the views of the wonderful people of this board..........what about you LEO's. What would you do if you were in the unmarked car and someone wouldn't stop right away??
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  • austin247austin247 Member Posts: 375 ✭
    edited November -1
    Nunn, I agree with you 100%. There has been a problem in Austin these past months with police impostors robbing and sexually assaultig people. The impostors are putting Kojak lights on the dashboards and stopping folks, flashing some sort of badge, then doing whatever they are gonna do. I've told my fiance the same thing you told your wife and children.

    The only problem has been that people have gotten extremely paranoid. I drive a marked unit with overheads, and I've followed people for miles with my overheads on, because they were scared I was an impostor and wanted to get to a well lit area.
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can get a badge made for anything.... "Hey I'm a dork, see here's my I'm a Municipal Dork badge..."

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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