Unmarked cars and police?encounter

[foszoe]

Police impersonator targets Castleton shopper | WISH-TV

If you were in this situation where it wasn't readily apparent, what's the right thing to do?

Continue driving and call 911? If it is an officer where do you cross the line and get resisting charges?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

No marked car AND no uniform? Drive and call 911.

The woman was smart. Drive off and call for help.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

He had a uniform. Just not a good one.

Article is wrong. Plain clothes and unmarked can make an arrest. Not a traffic arrest without a uniform present. I can lock you up for robbery, but not for DUI.

Ic 9 30 2 2.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

The media reporting the untrue as facts, shocking I say. It must be a conspiracy.

 

[jblomenberg16]

What kind of car is a Crown Victorian? Is that also a cheap impersonation of a real Police Car?

Seems like Channel 8 is starting to circle the drain after losing the CBS affiliation. The entire article looks like it was a Jr. High journalism class report. Then again, some of the bigger main stream outlets aren't that much better...

 

[Bill of Rights]

What kind of car is a Crown Victorian? Is that also a cheap impersonation of a real Police Car?...

No, it just has a high, tight, ruffled collar.

 

[roscott]

Just call 911. They'll be able to tell you very quickly if it's a real cop behind you.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Just call 911. They'll be able to tell you very quickly if it's a real cop behind you.

Not everyone is dispatched through the same 911 center. Your county 911 will not know if it's a state trooper behind you unless they telephone the correct post and ask. They will not know if its the FBI, which is admittedly very rare but does occur. There are multiple departments working in any given area, and they don't all use the same dispatch center.

Example:

Early on in my career some road rage jag off decided to wave a knife at another motorist. That motorist was an FBI agent, as was his passenger, as was the guy in the car behind him. They pulled him over and detained him. FBI dispatch calls Marion Co dispatch, the telephone game gets played, and I get dispatched to "plain clothes detectives need assistance with arrest of knife wielding suspect." Our dispatch had no idea who they were with.

 

[TheSpark]

I don't think police officers in unmarked cars should be pulling over people at all. Then it would be simple, being pulled over by an unmarked car: Its not a real police officer.

My recommendation though would be as the officer approaches lock your doors and put your window down only enough to talk (an inch or so). Ask the officer what department he is with and then call that department to verify. If I had cause for concern and the officer started to try and open the door or pull a gun then I'm slammin' the gas pedal.

 

[Bung]

I don't think police officers in unmarked cars should be pulling over people at all. Then it would be simple, being pulled over by an unmarked car: Its not a real police officer.

My recommendation though would be as the officer approaches lock your doors and put your window down only enough to talk (an inch or so). Ask the officer what department he is with and then call that department to verify. If I had cause for concern and the officer started to try and open the door or pull a gun then I'm slammin' the gas pedal.

There is a woman that did something like that. She was issued a ticket and had her window down about three inches. The officer didn't want to hand the ticket through the gap, citing 'officer safety' but she didn't want to roll the window down more. He stuck his hand in (not the ticket, his hand) and she rolled the window up. He broke the glass and charged her with assault and resisting. Video link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2owN7V3RNq4 Language warning of course.

 

[ckcollins2003]

There is a woman that did something like that. She was issued a ticket and had her window down about three inches. The officer didn't want to hand the ticket through the gap, citing 'officer safety' but she didn't want to roll the window down more. He stuck his hand in (not the ticket, his hand) and she rolled the window up. He broke the glass and charged her with assault and resisting. Video link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2owN7V3RNq4 Language warning of course.

That woman was an idiot... marked cars and uniformed officers, just roll the window down...

 

[roscott]

Not everyone is dispatched through the same 911 center. Your county 911 will not know if it's a state trooper behind you unless they telephone the correct post and ask. They will not know if its the FBI, which is admittedly very rare but does occur. There are multiple departments working in any given area, and they don't all use the same dispatch center.

Example:

Early on in my career some road rage jag off decided to wave a knife at another motorist. That motorist was an FBI agent, as was his passenger, as was the guy in the car behind him. They pulled him over and detained him. FBI dispatch calls Marion Co dispatch, the telephone game gets played, and I get dispatched to "plain clothes detectives need assistance with arrest of knife wielding suspect." Our dispatch had no idea who they were with.

Well that's true. I suppose my reply was a bit too assertive, but the advice is still the same. If the dispatcher doesn't know who is pulling over the caller, they will likely send an officer just to check. (Mostly to back up the unkown officer, but also to make sure it is a real cop.)

 

[Bung]

That woman was an idiot... marked cars and uniformed officers, just roll the window down...

There was no legal obligation for her to roll the window down. With all the police violence in the news, I wouldn't feel safe rolling the window down. The officer wanted the window down citing 'officer safety' and then puts his hand in the window. Really smart. Just roll the window down, just carry your ID at all times and present it for no reason, just let them search the car, etc. Don't let them get anything they aren't legally due.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

There was no legal obligation for her to roll the window down. With all the police violence in the news, I wouldn't feel safe rolling the window down. The officer wanted the window down citing 'officer safety' and then puts his hand in the window. Really smart. Just roll the window down, just carry your ID at all times and present it for no reason, just let them search the car, etc. Don't let them get anything they aren't legally due.

You do know you can be ordered out of the car on a traffic stop for no additional reason than the original stop per SCOTUS, right?

 

[Gluemanz28]

That woman was an idiot... marked cars and uniformed officers, just roll the window down...

Very well said. That video had nothing to do with the OP about cops in unmarked cars. The girl was lucky she didn't get hurt.

 

[ArmyPIG13]

If I am not mistaken the regulations governing MOST Departments in IN states that if an officer is driving an unmarked vehicle he/she must be in full uniform ie departmental class B uniform. If in fully marked vehicle then the officer may be in plain clothes. Most Departments in IN encourage officers to drive "take home" cars as a deterrent for criminals. I absolutely understand any and all apprehension from the perspective of a civilian driver being stopped by a shady looking officer. We also need to respect the officer and his safety. Understanding and mutual respect is the real issue here. Bottom line...a GOOD officer with a cool head would allow a driver to check whatever was needed to make them feel safe, if that involves a badge number and a phone call so be it! Hope the rambling helped a bit. Stay safe!

 

[Bung]

You do know you can be ordered out of the car on a traffic stop for no additional reason than the original stop per SCOTUS, right?

Sure, but his reasoning behind it wasn't sound. He only ordered her out because she didn't (and wasn't legally obligated too) roll the window down all the way. Since he got so upset about the window, I wouldn't feel safe getting out of the car either.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

If I am not mistaken the regulations governing MOST Departments in IN states that if an officer is driving an unmarked vehicle he/she must be in full uniform ie departmental class B uniform.

Well, may be regulations, but Indiana has a state statute on it.

Indiana Code 9-30-2-2: Ind. Code § 9-30-2-2 : Indiana Code - Section 9-30-2-2: Uniform and badge; marked police vehicle

 

[foszoe]

A related question, probably silly, but what makes an unposted road unposted? Is a road supposed to be posted every mile? After every intersection?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Sure, but his reasoning behind it wasn't sound. He only ordered her out because she didn't (and wasn't legally obligated too) roll the window down all the way. Since he got so upset about the window, I wouldn't feel safe getting out of the car either.

You are missing the point. You don't feel safe rolling the window down because "police violence", but why would I bother "violencing" you through an open window when I could just tell you to get out and "violence" you that way? Failing to roll the window down is suspicious behavior and is likely to escalate the situation, just like it did there. If she'd rolled the window down she'd have been the same as thousands of other motorists, gotten her ticket or warning, and been on her way. I've had a few people play the window game. Usually because they'd smoked weed or were drunk and didn't want the smell to incriminate them.