Unmarked police cars , what would you do ?

[duggie]

We were having a discussion yesterday about been pulled over by an unmarked police vehicle , and one of the people present stated that he would not pull over .

He came up with a reasonable argument to back up his case .

Some people today are coming up with different ways to rob , bash/assault , rape and in some cases murder people .

As this is an unmarked police car , no visible police markings , that is wanting you to pull oner and stop , how could you know that it is in fact a honest member of the police force and not someone wanting to commit an offence by posing as a police officer .


You may be thinking , red/blue flashing lights , but you or I can buy red/blue flashing strobe lights for as little as $19 and fit then into/behind your grill or windscreen .

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/8LED-Red-Blue-Car-Police-Strobe-Flash-Light-Dash-Emergency-3-Flashing-Lamp-DC12V/232429401410?epid=23006160272&hash=item361ddf3542:g:zH4AAOSwBnZbBn~w

By doing this does it make either you or I a police officer ?

No it does not , but I bet that if either you or I did fit these ebay purchased  blue/red flashing lights ,  and activated these said lights whilst either behind or coming towards another vehicle , that vehicle would more than likely pull over and come to a stop .

Ultimately , by not pulling over/stopping for an unmarked police car , you will get pulled over/stopped by 1 or more marked police cars down the road .

As the person was saying yesterday , at that point he would have no problem pulling over and stopping . His argument when asked , would be that he feared for his , and/or those with him , safety , as he believed that the vehicle displaying the flashing lights may have wanted to harm/rob/kill him and/or those with him .


I don't know if this argument would pass the test , but it has/did get me thinking .

What would you do ?

[JD-120]

Pull over

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[Bird]

No it does not , but I bet that if either you or I did fit these ebay purchased  blue/red flashing lights ,  and activated these said lights whilst either behind or coming towards another vehicle , that vehicle would more than likely pull over and come to a stop .

Ultimately , by not pulling over/stopping for an unmarked police car , you will get pulled over/stopped by 1 or more marked police cars down the road .

As the person was saying yesterday , at that point he would have no problem pulling over and stopping . His argument when asked , would be that he feared for his , and/or those with him , safety , as he believed that the vehicle displaying the flashing lights may have wanted to harm/rob/kill him and/or those with him .

Young bloke back home did this in the 80's in his dads Magna company car... The issue was after weeks of having a ball pulling people over with lights and siren, he pulled over a car of Detectives that were out looking for this bogus cop car... The Snr cop at Cronulla taught him not to do it via his wallet, his dad lost his job.

If you don't pull over, don't be shocked if you get the works

I don't know if this argument would pass the test , but it has/did get me thinking .

As you get dragged out at gunpoint, I don't think there would be much in the way of discussion.

[Hoyks]

Pull over.

It will be a newish, clean and well maintained vehicle, less than 2 years old.
Lights, if ignored will be soon accompanied by a siren to really get your attention.
You pull over and they will stop behind you.
A official looking person will get out in a well maintained uniform, approach your vehicle and have identification on display.
If its a crappy looking commodore and 2 guys in singlets pile out and come running at you, then drive off and call 000.
The 000 operator will be able to contact the area controller and will be able to confirm its a legit police car trying to get you to stop.

There was 4 teenagers in a beat up old car on the Gold Coast Motorway pulling people over, armed with an iPhone with a red/blue flashing screen, but one look at them should have been a giveaway.

Despite the best efforts of the media to make the average person scared of random acts of violence, its a minute number that get randomly attacked going about their lives. Most people that get assaulted know their attacker, whether its family, someone that holds a grudge or they owe $$/drugs to.

Or it could be a real copper that's having a really bad day  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/stephen-flanagan-guilty-over-pulling-gun-on-speeding-couple/8134192

[edz]

Been a few fake cop incidents in the past and recently ..
Reckon I'd pull over though ..
Dont reckon any grub would see a rough old 21 yro Hilux as a good target for anything other than an IOU .

[nab]

If you are not sure and worried, just pull over, lock doors and undo window a bit (leave car on and in gear and ready to go). Then ask for ID, they will produce it no probs if legit.

I bought those cheap police lights as a joke for a mate, they are pretty crap and nothing like the real lights. Real red and blues cost a fair bit and their brightness/intensity is much more than the ebay specials. No doubt could still get them online but a a bit harder to find and more $$$.

[Jeepers Creepers]

I think a wife or daughter at night time, would be best advised to head for a easy target, if unsure if car was cops or not..

Go to a Maccas Drive through for instance and ask for assistance.

Unmarked car at night time, wife or daughter on their own. cops would have to let them off.
Blokes will get a phone book around the head, kick in the arse and a court appearance the next day.

[Mitch92]

I'd remove my tin foil hat and pull over 

[JusyApples]

Pull over


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[Kangaron]

Pull over.

It will be a newish, clean and well maintained vehicle, less than 2 years old.

Back in the day we used to hit the second hand car yards for a "lend" or hire cars, or utes, or trucks.
But then again, we were not chasing cars for traffic crap.
Only dogs chase cars.

[duggie]

Pull over.

It will be a newish, clean and well maintained vehicle, less than 2 years old.
Lights, if ignored will be soon accompanied by a siren to really get your attention.
You pull over and they will stop behind you.

Up here in Northern Queensland they have and do use cars from the impound yard , some a bit older than 2 years .

They have used rice burners with P plates as unmarked patrol cars in Cairns .


As for a siren, I own 3  . These were bought and used when I was in the blasting industry ( to warn the public that explosives are about to be fired/exploded ) 1 of these is electronic and is adjustable to both different sound and pitch and it is very easy to make it sound the same as the police sirens .

Anyone can fit a siren , still does not make me a copper . But it could and would convince the general public that I am .

I think a wife or daughter at night time, would be best advised to head for a easy target, if unsure if car was cops or not..

Go to a Maccas Drive through for instance and ask for assistance.

Unmarked car at night time, wife or daughter on their own. cops would have to let them off.
Blokes will get a phone book around the head, kick in the arse and a court appearance the next day.

This is the exact sort of thing that got me thinking .

If one is in fear of been mugged, robbed, raped or killed . Where would they stand in a court of law , after all they ( the driver)  did not fail to follow a police directive/order as the police were not displaying ( been unmarked car ) that they are a member of the police force .

[Mace]

Pull over.

Sit and wait with doors locked if worried.

Wait for the officer to produce their freddy.

[KingBilly]

Up here in Northern Queensland they have and do use cars from the impound yard , some a bit older than 2 years .

They have used rice burners with P plates as unmarked patrol cars in Cairns .

Thanks Duggie, I had a crap day at work and needed a good belly laugh.

KB

[JusyApples]

Pull over.

Sit and wait with doors locked if worried.

Wait for the officer to produce their freddy.

What if they don't carry a "Freddy"?


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[duggie]

What if they don't carry a "Freddy"?


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They have never ever given me a Freddo Frog on any of the occasions that I have pulled over .

[#jonesy]

Keep going and a few k's down the road  there might be marked police cars, and if you are lucky you don't puncture all 4 tyresa as you run over the spikes. Don't you worry the nice policeman will arrange a tow truck for you, and take it to a safe storage place. That way you have a month to organise new tyres while they keep your car.

[weeds]

It used to happen a bit years ago but haven't heard of it lately......

I'd pull over as the odds are very low.....

For the wife and daughter, at night, I have said to continue driving to a well lit area where there are other around and as other have said lever car in gear and wind the window down a bit or....

just ring 000 and ask if there is police activity where they are (not sure how well that would work) 


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[Bird]

just ring 000 and ask if there is police activity where they are (not sure how well that would work) 

and add using a mobile phone to refusing to stop for bacon etc etc

[weeds]

and add using a mobile phone to refusing to stop for bacon etc etc

Suppose....


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[#jonesy]

It used to happen a bit years ago but haven't heard of it lately......

I'd pull over as the odds are very low.....

For the wife and daughter, at night, I have said to continue driving to a well lit area where there are other around and as other have said lever car in gear and wind the window down a bit or....

just ring 000 and ask if there is police activity where they are (not sure how well that would work) 


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I wouldn't suggest ringing 000 unless they genuinely have doubts about who pulled them over. 000 is already overworked and don't need a "just wondering if this is really a police car"

[weeds]

I wouldn't suggest ringing 000 unless they genuinely have doubts about who pulled them over. 000 is already overworked and don't need a "just wondering if this is really a police car"

Wife or daughter driving solo at night and is concerned about a car following her with a dodgy blue or red flashing light.....000 is quite fine in my books. Just imagine if they don't ring 000 and it's turns out a whole lot worse. QLD under cover cars light up like a Xmas tree and you can always wait under sirens come on.

As I said it's rare occurrence and I doubt they'll ever be in that position. 

I rang 000 just last week to report a minor fire, I tried calling the local regional station as I figured it would burn itself out and didn't want to clog 000, they said call 000 and they will despatch them and that what I . Drove past the same spot XMAS eve and as I suspected the fire would have burned itself out before the crews got there.

A mate, before his last big trip, rang 000 from his sat phone that didn't have a SIM fitted to prove or disprove that it actually works....it worked and they said it was a good idea to test....keep in mind the first person you talk to isn't police/fire/ambulance .....


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[Bill]

I'm not pulling over.
I'll ring 000 and inform them of what's happening.
Then if they tell me it's an actual officer I'll pull over. And yes, they will tell you.
Baring that I'll drive to a very busy public place and pull over.
Y'all might say I'm paranoid and maybe I'am but I don't care.
My neighbor who happens to be my best mate is a cop and has been for nearly 20 years.
The stories I've heard from him justify my paranoia in my mind.
Bill

[edz]

https://www.theage.com.au/national/badge-of-deceit-the-police-officers-who-arent-20070826-ge5ob2.html    .....  https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5647694/driver-robbed-by-man-pretending-to-be-a-police-officer-in-nowra/   .... 
   https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/man-sought-for-impersonating-police-during-attempted-robbery-20180704-p4zpdg.html

[JD-120]

Would like to see an official ruling from the police themselves.

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[GBC]

In qld the police have the right to pull you over in a marked or unmarked vehicle. Since the invention of the 'random' breath test, they can randomly profile anyone they want and pull them over for a test and a chat. You do not have the right to continue driving to anywhere you please. You have the right to remain in your locked vehicle until they sufficiently identify themselves which won't take long because they mostly always have badges and guns. If the first one isn't sufficient they'll show you the second one. They also wear uniforms. If you've managed to get pulled up by non uniform Detectives for a traffic breach they'll have a very good reason and may well have guns drawn anyway. I never understood how anyone thought that antagonising a copper would ever further their cause. In other states there are very strong penalties for failing to stop (jades law? Can't recall - a toddler was killed by someone refusing to stop). If you intend to drive to a well lit public area, put your hazards on and slow down so the coppers know that you acknowledge them and intend to comply. They will not do anything unreasonable until you do. Ring police link or 000 if you fully suspect they are not police and comms will work it out within 30 seconds and dispatch many proper coppers to come save your arse.