Impersonating a cop?

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92saturnsl2

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At what point do you cross into the illegal territory of impersonating a cop?

There's a guy in my neighborhood who drives a jet black Dodge Magnum (cop car in some jurisdictions), complete with the drivers side spotlight and the light bar on the top of the roof.

When I first saw him, I and slowed down wondering if the city got new police cars till I noticed he had out of state plates. He must have just moved here because I've seen him often the last couple months. Knowing that he's not a cop is humbling, but it really ticks me off when people drive 5 miles under the speed limit around him, slowing my drive home.

I knew that you couldn't have blue lights on your vehicle, but this is one of those clear "low profile" LED light bars, so there's no blue. It's a really convincing "cop" car. Illegal or no?
 
likely its ok, until he tries to use the lights. you're gonna have to check with the laws in your state. in our state all of the motor laws are available in a book, free of charge. kinda interested read.
 
Or a NWS storm spotter!
crackmeup2.gif


That's kind of an inside joke amongst storm chasers. Some volunteer storm spotters have vehicles that look like cop cars, ambulances, and firetrucks combined.
 
I used to drive a white Crown Vic, and even with no light bar everyone slowed down to 5 under the limit. One person even pulled over, then was surprised I didn't get out of the car to ticket him.

The police all love this, the more the better. Sometimes they even park a fake cardboard cop car at the side of the road to get everyone to slow down. whatever gets everyone to slow down - it's all good. Only when he pulls you over, asks for ur wallet and keys, tells you to get out, and his partner then drives away ur vehicle - that is not so good.
 
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Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
As long as the lights are yellow, he's OK-blue is out unless you're law enforcement, red only if you're EMS or firefighter related.


Depends on the location. Firefighters out here have blue lights on their personal vehicles. Police cars are red and blue. (Except in one township they were all red back in 1982.)


http://jalopnik.com/367272/transformers-mustang-cop-car-replica-not-police-approved

As an aside, the Charger is the favored vehicle. Marked and unmarked. In my area anyway.
 
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Everything about his vehicle screams impersonating a cop car. I wish I would have taken a picture. I'm certain he's not EMS, or lead driver. He's even got the antennas on the roof.

Drew99GT: El Paso County Sheriff's were switching to a lot of the new Magnums when I left that area. This guy's looks identical except black.

Everytime I get behind the guy, I do my best to blast by him doing 10mph over, just so he knows he's not fooling everyone.
 
Occassionally, I see the "Railroad Police" around here. Or a private security firm's patrol cars. They look just like "real" cop cars.

Maybe one of those?

A vehicle for a local utility? Maybe Ameren or a Phone company.

There are cellnet vehicles around here that drive around with antenna farms on the roof checking cell signal quality.

It could be any number of things that are totally innocent.

Or he could be a police wanna-be.

Who knows.
 
Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
I used to drive a white Crown Vic, and even with no light bar everyone slowed down to 5 under the limit. One person even pulled over, then was surprised I didn't get out of the car to ticket him.


The same happens to me everyday in my white crown vic with dark tinted windows.

Just last month they busted a guy in downtown Miami for stopping and raping women..He was driving a white crown vic [x police interseptor] with dark windows with a cage in the back and other police stuff..This happens almost every month down here.

Used police interseptors are very popular down here..They sometimes use Chargers and Impalas but for the most part they use crown vics.
 
Maybe someone can answer a question that I've had on my mind for sometime. Let's say a city cop crosses over to another city/town's border, does he have any jurisdiction at all for catching speeders and other things like that as long as the speeding wasn't done on his territory?

How about college police? They seem to only have jurisdiction on campus. Kind of seem like rent a cops carrying guns to me. They have full police rights though.
 
Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Maybe someone can answer a question that I've had on my mind for sometime. Let's say a city cop crosses over to another city/town's border, does he have any jurisdiction at all for catching speeders and other things like that as long as the speeding wasn't done on his territory?

How about college police? They seem to only have jurisdiction on campus. Kind of seem like rent a cops carrying guns to me. They have full police rights though.


In Broward,Palm Beach and Miami Dade they do now..They just changed the law recently..The cops say they won't stop anyone from another county [or town] unless they are doing something really stupid.

They had a huge chase not long from Palm Beach to Miami Beach..Over 100 cars were in on the chase..I recall all the cops wanted the suspects..Not sure who got the capture but since it ended in Miami Beach I believe they got first crack at the suspects.

Not sure on the college police but I'll find out over the weekend..I don't believe so.
 
Usually, city officers can chase or pursue suspects into another jurisdiction and arrest, i.e. a DUI suspect who crosses town/city limits. We had a three mile limit here which was extended to the next county (or state if they bordered another state directly) line. Campus police here have full police powers anywhere in the state but only enforce on campus property. Sheriff's deputies can also pursue outside county limits but cannot initiate anything outside their home jurisdictions. We have State Constables also who have statewide jurisdiction. Reserve officers only have police powers while in uniform. Our police use blue, fire use red. Construction is allowed clear or yellow.
 
Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
I used to drive a white Crown Vic, and even with no light bar everyone slowed down to 5 under the limit. One person even pulled over, then was surprised I didn't get out of the car to ticket him.

That stuff happens with my Dark Blue Vic with LX Chrome. Ive had two people pull over for absolutely no reason at all from what I could tell. I wasnt even on their butt until they started going 20 under. Kind of annoying. Whats really annoying is when people go 10 or 15 under, so I pass them and they see my 18" wheels and all my stickers so they suck my doors off like I intentionally tricked them.
54.gif
 
Light bars by themselves are not illegal in any way. It's only the blue lights that are illegal here.

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac

How about college police? They seem to only have jurisdiction on campus. Kind of seem like rent a cops carrying guns to me. They have full police rights though.


Here they are basically regular cops. They have jurisdiction off campus, and they take you uptown if they arrest you.
 
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