http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/06/aa.is.it.a.cop/index.html

Car pulling you over—is that a real cop?

That navy blue sedan behind you with the flashing blue light on the dash is probably a cop—but it could be a creep using police paraphernalia to get you to pull over.

How to tell the difference? And what should you do if you’re not sure?

In the United States, almost all traffic enforcement work is done by police driving one of the following vehicles:

- Ford Crown Victoria sedan
- Chevy Impala sedan (some departments also use the smaller Malibu and the Lumina sedans as well, though the majority in service today are Impalas)
- Chevy Tahoe SUV
- Dodge Charger

The problem is that these vehicles are also sold to civilians—and it’s pretty easy to dress one up so that it looks very much like an undercover police car. In fact, there are police supply stores that will sell everything a dirtbag needs to make himself look like the real deal—right down to the uniform and fake ID.

Some departments also use unconventional cars for pursuit work. For example, the Ford Mustang LX 5.0 was very popular in the 1980s for speed limit enforcement; today, some departments use unmarked Camaro Z28s—and even Corvettes—for the same purpose.

This is pretty scary, since we’re all taught to obey the commands of law enforcement officers—and when a police-looking car is trying to get us to pull over, every instinct tells us to comply.

Still, it’s important to use your head.

First, have you done something to deserve being pulled over? If you’ve been driving within 5-mph of the posted speed limit and haven’t broken any traffic laws that you’re aware of, your guard should be up if all of a sudden there’s an unmarked car on your tail with its lights flashing—especially if it’s out in the middle of nowhere and late at night. While radar traps are a reality, most of the time, we get pulled over for a reason—and we know perfectly well what it is. So if you honestly haven’t done anything wrong that you’re aware of—and the “officer” just appeared out of nowhere—you’re right to be suspicious—particularly if you are female and traveling alone.

Second, if the vehicle attempting to pull you over is not a clearly marked police cruiser—or a car or truck that isn’t routinely used for police work (especially if it’s an older/broken down-looking vehicle) and your “creep radar” is telling you something’s just not right—you should slow down (to indicate you are not trying to get away, in case it is a real police officer), signal your intent to pull over—but only do so when you can find a well-lit, public place with other people around, such as a shopping mall parking lot.

Or, you can pull over immediately—but keep your doors locked and only crack the window enough to pass your driver’s license and registration through.

Third, get a good look at the “officer” and his credentials. If the “officer” is not in uniform, refuses to show you his badge—or just flashes it briefly, so you can’t get a good look—keep that window rolled up and those doors locked tightly.

Ask once more to see his credentials. If he won’t let you, tell the “officer” that you’d like for him to call another officer to the scene. This is your right—and while it may aggravate the officer if he is in fact the real deal, it could save your life if he’s not. A real officer will understand your concern and have no problem with calling a fellow officer (or supervisor) to the scene. There have been several case of women being abducted and raped by thugs impersonating police—and most departments are very sensitive to people’s legitimate concerns on this score.

Fourth, if the “officer” starts acting oddly when you ask to see his ID—threatening you, behaving in a non-professional manner, pounding on your door, etc.—seriously consider putting the car in gear and getting out of there. Tell the “officer” you are uncomfortable and that you will gladly follow him (or be escorted to) to the nearest police station.

If you have a cell phone, immediately dial 911—and tell the operator that you have been pulled over by someone who claims to be a police officer but that you think he might not be a real cop. Tell the operator exactly where you are—and stay on the line. If it’s a real officer, you’ll know very soon. If it’s not, the guy will almost certainly take off at this point. (Caution: Only take this step in a situation that clearly doesn’t feel right as you risk an “attempt to elude” charge if it is, indeed, a real police officer. But again, better safe than sorry given the stakes.)

LOL, is the situation really that bad in the US?

I dunno.  I’ve only actually seen news reports of it a few times.

So, if a tank where to tell me I should remove myself from the area because of war games, I should ask for credentials too? And wait for back up.

I’ve always considered it a real threat.  It happened on my street to a woman when I was a kid, so I’ve been aware of the problem for a long time.

I was getting pulled over once in the middle of the night by one of the cruisers that didn’t have the lights on top…it was marked, but at 2 in the morning on a road with no street lamps, I couldn’t actually see his car.

I did the “call 911” thing.  I called & told them where I was…and that I was going to pull over soon, but I wanted to wait until I could find a gas station.  It wouldn’t be long b/c I was on a major highway, but my current location on it was in a very sparse area.  I stayed on the line with 911 until I pulled over.  I was getting in trouble for a busted tail light…I’d been in an accident the night before (eh, it’s been a few years…maybe the night before, maybe a little longer) & of course it wasn’t fixed yet.  He told me to put red tape over it…but gave me the ticket anyway.

It happens in Canada too.

Around here, it’s not uncommon, especially for late-night pull-overs, for a second car to show up very quickly after the first. Sometimes even a third, if the cops are particularly bored. Which, if it’s not a thursday or friday, they probably are.

They do make sure that if they’re doing traffic patrols - even in the ‘stealth’ cars - that they are wearing the full police kit, which is difficult (though not impossible) to fake.

The stealth cars are amusing.. We have two in this town. One is a white version of the same Crown Vics that the rest of the cars are, but with the lights mounted upon the rearview mirrors rather than the light bar. The ‘police’ sign on the side is printed in white paint, though it’s *reflective* white as opposed to the regular gloss white the rest of the car. The other one is a totally ordinary-looking Jeep SUV, with the only indication that it’s a police car being the tiny - almost furtive - ‘police’ on the corner of the bumper, and the glint of the lights lurking behind the radiator grille.

It doesn’t look like they are advising anything I wouldn’t say to my own daughters, were they to be traveling anywhere at night.  While it is not a MAJOR problem here in the US, there have been cases reported here.

To go by an old adage: “Better safe than sorry.“

I was on my way home from work one night when I was about 17, it was midnight or later driving down a dark curvy road, when all of a sudden a car is on my tail flashing a blue light from its dash.  Well I knew all the police cars in the area and I was aware that none used a single interior blue light.  I was driving a geo metro at the time.  I put the pedal to the floor and was driving 80 around sharp curves for about 10 miles.  He couldn’t keep up.  He caught up with me on my gravel road about the time I pulled into the drive way, so I laid on the horn and woke everyone up and yelled “Get a gun there is a crazy person following me!“
It was a kid from school, I guess he thought he was funny, it really wasn’t.  I’ve seen a lot of bad wrecks on that road, lots of people killed.  I was one guy that was just a bloody mess in the edge of the road. Don’t hit utility poles would be some advice for him, anyway.

Yes better safe than sorry, but looking back, running probably wasn’t the best avenue to take.  I wasn’t going to stop though.  I like my life sometimes.

I remember seeing one of the cop programs once. Two plain clothes cops in an unmarked car trying to pull someone over and one of them comments, - he’s not pulling over.
I’m sat there thinking ‘you could be anyone, I wouldn’t pull over either.‘

Sorry to hear about your accident Neo.

Neo - 07 August 2008 07:49 AM

I was one guy that was just a bloody mess in the edge of the road.

That was to say “I saw…“
Sorry typing too fast.