Robbers dressed in fake police uniforms is one more reason traffic stops shouldnt be made with unmarked cars:
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=87f54c86-289d-4c5b-bca8-1578a6db4732
'A truck driver is in the hospital after being beaten and robbed, all for doing what he thought was the right thing.
Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson says two men posing as police officers pulled the man over last night, just south of the Summit exit on Highway 69.
“People need to understand a flashing blue light. That's not a law enforcement officer.� '
When someone takes a shot at these guys, its not going to end well if it turns out to be a real cop.
And yet another reason to fire a warning shot . . .
quote:
Originally posted by patric
Robbers dressed in fake police uniforms is one more reason traffic stops shouldnt be made with unmarked cars:
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=87f54c86-289d-4c5b-bca8-1578a6db4732
'A truck driver is in the hospital after being beaten and robbed, all for doing what he thought was the right thing.
Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson says two men posing as police officers pulled the man over last night, just south of the Summit exit on Highway 69.
“People need to understand a flashing blue light. That's not a law enforcement officer.� '
When someone takes a shot at these guys, its not going to end well if it turns out to be a real cop.
Anyone who shoots at a flashing blue light is looking to shoot a cop anyway. I seriously doubt anyone will pull over and the fire a gun who is not bent on copkilling. The safest thing to do is drive to a well lit populated area. Signal the officer that you see him and drive to a safe area
quote:
Originally posted by tim huntzinger
And yet another reason to fire a warning shot
If you fire a warning shot at an impostor and it turns out to be a real cop, we will be reading about you the next day in the
Whirled as yet another crackpot killed for taking a shot at police.
quote:
Originally posted by RLitterellThe safest thing to do is drive to a well lit populated area. Signal the officer that you see him and drive to a safe area
They tend to take a dim view of your failure to immediately comply, and may also regard that as a pursuit.
You have reason to fear for your life either way, so the safest thing would be for police to only make traffic stops in plainly marked vehicles.
It's a situation where you can do everything right on your end and still be wrong, so something needs to change on the other end. Unmarked cars have their place in surveillance, but create extraordinary and unnecessary risks to both police and citizens when used to initiate traffic stops that are mistaken for carjackings.
quote:
Originally posted by patric
It's a situation where you can do everything right on your end and still be wrong, so something needs to change on the other end. Unmarked cars have their place in surveillance, but create extraordinary and unnecessary risks to both police and citizens when used to initiate traffic stops that are mistaken for carjackings.
Can anyone point to the last time in Tulsa anyone was carjacked as a result of a fake police officer driving a fake police car?
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
Can anyone point to the last time in Tulsa anyone was carjacked as a result of a fake police officer driving a fake police car?
It has to be right in Tulsa before we react?
A Muskogee Turnpike isnt good enough?
FWIW, A co-worker mentioned she saw a vehicle matching this description recently pull over a vehicle
in Tulsa.
quote:
Originally posted by patric
quote:
Originally posted by tim huntzinger
And yet another reason to fire a warning shot
If you fire a warning shot at an impostor and it turns out to be a real cop, we will be reading about you the next day in the Whirled as yet another crackpot killed for taking a shot at police.
quote:
Originally posted by RLitterellThe safest thing to do is drive to a well lit populated area. Signal the officer that you see him and drive to a safe area
They tend to take a dim view of your failure to immediately comply, and may also regard that as a pursuit.
You have reason to fear for your life either way, so the safest thing would be for police to only make traffic stops in plainly marked vehicles.
It's a situation where you can do everything right on your end and still be wrong, so something needs to change on the other end. Unmarked cars have their place in surveillance, but create extraordinary and unnecessary risks to both police and citizens when used to initiate traffic stops that are mistaken for carjackings.
I could not agree more that traffic stops should only be made by policemen in marked cars, or black and whites to be more specific.(whatever color the Tulsa Police cars are) However, given that this is not the case I still believe that one should signal the "blue light" that you see and agknowledge him/her and proceed to the safest well lit area. I will take my chances with the judge should I be required to appear before one for doing so.
This is what I have done her in Memphis, the most crime ridded city in the Mid-South and have never had a problem with it. They make traffic stops in unmarked SUV's here.
And when you are being pulled over by a marked police car, just what markings are you seeing on the front of a police car?
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
And when you are being pulled over by a marked police car, just what markings are you seeing on the front of a police car?
The Retro-reflective pinstripe that wraps up to the headlights...
...and the occasional light bar (a throwback to a time when deterrence through visibility was a higher priority).
quote:
Originally posted by patric
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
And when you are being pulled over by a marked police car, just what markings are you seeing on the front of a police car?
The Retro-reflective pinstripe that wraps up to the headlights...
...and the occasional light bar (a throwback to a time when deterrence through visibility was a higher priority).
So based on a pin stripe towards the front of a car, which the newer Dodges that are coming in won't have, you a saying that is a legit police car? And you can actually see that pin stripe in your mirror and determine it belongs on a police car and not some soccer mom's car?
State law says you can use unmarked police cars only if the officer is in full uniform. Or, you can use marked police cars and officers not in uniform (or in uniform).
If you don't feel the person stopping you is a police car, call 911. The dispatcher can confirm that. Or pull into a store parking lot and/or a well lit place.
Just don't gun it, turn your lights off and speed off! That could be trouble (and cause a little excitement for everyone).
Believe me, there are far easier ways to steal a car. Just look for all the ones left running at Quik Trip!
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
State law says you can use unmarked police cars only if the officer is in full uniform. Or, you can use marked police cars and officers not in uniform (or in uniform).
That's a relief... That and knowing that the Sheriff is working on his law to stop local shops from selling uniforms to anyone with cash, the bad guys wont have anyw.......
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1116161/policeuniforms.jpg)
UH OH!TPD Uniforms rank #6 in a Google search for "police uniforms" ?! Out of the Whole Planet?!
Well, they must be selling to people from from out of town, because locals just dont...
Police arrest man accused of impersonating officerhttp://www.tulsaworld.com/common/printerfriendlystory.aspx?articleID=070207_Ne_A6_LOCAL35986
Police have arrested a man who is accused of impersonating a police officer, stopping a vehicle and putting its occupant in handcuffs Monday night. UH OH!Given how well the strategy of denial worked in dealing with, oh, say
gangs in the past, maybe we should be a bit more proactive this time.
Every once in awhile at gunshows I see a booth that sells police lights/equipment. To anyone!!
I always walk by it thinking, 'there's the sexual predator supply shop.'
Unmarked vehicles = additional concern in my book. You really can't trust anyone out there, so who is to say?
I think the best way to handle it locally is to list all the unmarked vehicles that we know of in this thread. That's not to say that someone couldn't read this now, and create a false unmarked vehicle, but here is what I have seen in Tulsa:
Two Chevrolet Impalas, one dark blue, one white, both with heavy tint.
One new Dodge Charger, dark grey with tint.
If you are getting pulled by one of those three, then chances are its legid.
But, if I understand correctly, you can always dial 911 on your cellphone and request another officer in a marked vehicle before making contact with the unmarked vehicle's driver? Does anyone else know if this is true?
quote:
Originally posted by Hawkins
I think the best way to handle it locally is to list all the unmarked vehicles that we know of in this thread.
I still believe the best way to handle it is to not make citizens second-guess whether the car trying to stop them is the Real McCoy.
Anyone can put on a "POLICE" cap (that's about how much of a uniform youre going to see in your mirror), but obtaining a properly marked police car is a lot, lot harder.
It just makes so much more sense than this silly game of Russian Roulette.
quote:
Originally posted by patric
quote:
Originally posted by Hawkins
I think the best way to handle it locally is to list all the unmarked vehicles that we know of in this thread.
I still believe the best way to handle it is to not make citizens second-guess whether the car trying to stop them is the Real McCoy.
Anyone can put on a "POLICE" cap (that's about how much of a uniform youre going to see in your mirror), but obtaining a properly marked police car is a lot, lot harder.
It just makes so much more sense than this silly game of Russian Roulette.
You can buy old police cars at just about any city auction.
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
quote:
Originally posted by patric
I still believe the best way to handle it is to not make citizens second-guess whether the car trying to stop them is the Real McCoy.
Anyone can put on a "POLICE" cap (that's about how much of a uniform youre going to see in your mirror), but obtaining a properly marked police car is a lot, lot harder.
It just makes so much more sense than this silly game of Russian Roulette.
You can buy old police cars at just about any city auction.
Propely marked? All the decals and lights?
A flashing blue light by itself in the state of Oklahoma isn't even legal for an officer to use for a traffic stop. State law says two white flashing lights and a combination of three or more red and or blue facing forward.
i dunno if this is the one they caught, but ther eis a fake running around town, blue crown vic, no lights, just a siren he uses to run people off the road.
quote:
Originally posted by patric
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
quote:
Originally posted by patric
I still believe the best way to handle it is to not make citizens second-guess whether the car trying to stop them is the Real McCoy.
Anyone can put on a "POLICE" cap (that's about how much of a uniform youre going to see in your mirror), but obtaining a properly marked police car is a lot, lot harder.
It just makes so much more sense than this silly game of Russian Roulette.
You can buy old police cars at just about any city auction.
Propely marked? All the decals and lights?
Any police car that goes to auction in any community must have all police markings and equipment removed before sale at public aution. Usually the only thing they leave in place are the spot lights that are installed throught the windshield posts. Removing these would lea a hole in the post.
I had OHP catch me at night several years ago along I-40 in the Salisaw area. Knowing this area was ripe for the small town cops speedtraps (Muldrow I think) I took a look and it was a black, Crown Victoria with no markings. In addtion the windows were deep tinted. The flashing lights were inside the car. There was very little way to tell if it was legit.
I slowed down, hit my 4 way flashers for a moment, then continued to the next exit and pulled into a convenience store. The guy was an donkey, but I asked him what he would do.
No argument. I wrote OHP and their official line was if you are in doubt continue to a safe spot.
You can tell where a lot of taxi cabs come from, many have the tell-tale spotlight by the driver's door.
Probably 20-25 years ago, there was a former black & white driving around Tulsa someone had bought at auction. The owner had spray painted on the trunk: "I AM NOT A COP".
[}:)]
In Ohio all cops must be in marked cars to stop someone.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
You can tell where a lot of taxi cabs come from, many have the tell-tale spotlight by the driver's door.
Probably 20-25 years ago, there was a former black & white driving around Tulsa someone had bought at auction. The owner had spray painted on the trunk: "I AM NOT A COP".
[}:)]
I remember that. I saw it several times. Back the I was working as a driver for a couple of freight companies, and for Finger Furniture for a while.
quote:
Originally posted by dbacks fan
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
You can tell where a lot of taxi cabs come from, many have the tell-tale spotlight by the driver's door.
Probably 20-25 years ago, there was a former black & white driving around Tulsa someone had bought at auction. The owner had spray painted on the trunk: "I AM NOT A COP".
[}:)]
I remember that. I saw it several times. Back the I was working as a driver for a couple of freight companies, and for Finger Furniture for a while.
"Finger Furniture" We used to laugh at that one. Did you ever get flipped off when you were driving the truck? If you did, it wasn't me, honest! [:I]
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
quote:
Originally posted by dbacks fan
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
You can tell where a lot of taxi cabs come from, many have the tell-tale spotlight by the driver's door.
Probably 20-25 years ago, there was a former black & white driving around Tulsa someone had bought at auction. The owner had spray painted on the trunk: "I AM NOT A COP".
[}:)]
I remember that. I saw it several times. Back the I was working as a driver for a couple of freight companies, and for Finger Furniture for a while.
"Finger Furniture" We used to laugh at that one. Did you ever get flipped off when you were driving the truck? If you did, it wasn't me, honest! [:I]
Yes I did get flipped off a couple of times, and the other one was people would ask "So which finger is it?" The other two companies were Film Transit Freight and Mercury Express. Got to see alot of interesting things in those two jobs driving around Green Country, and yes some of them I can't really discuss in a public forum like this. The wildest thing was when I was driving to Ponca City or Enid there was a yellow Fiat X1/9 that was having a hard time keeping his car in his lane. As I went past I realized that he was reading the WSJ, drinking coffee, and talking on his cell phone (this was 1988 or 89 by the way so you can picture the cell phone he was using.)
I've heard the truck driver stories, especially the advantages of driving from such a high perch.
Bet the phone looked something like this:
(http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/391262/2/istockphoto_391262_brick.jpg)