DaGonz

What is up with the anti-cop attitude?

They have a job to do.. and if it is to drive an unmarked vehicle to enforce traffic laws, so be it. Don't drive like a @#$%^&! idiot or do stupid $#!t.

Don't want speeding tickets? Spend a few bucks and get a good radar detector, like the Escort Redline or Valentine 1.

Don't want speeding tickets? Practice situational awareness. If you are on a stretch of road and you know that there are certain areas where the local PD, State Police, Sherrif's Department or Highway Patrol always set up radar, then drive within the speed limit in those areas.

As far as "wannabee cops" pulling people over in unmarked vehicles.. if you find yourself in that situation, call 911 yourself or drive to the police station or State PD barracks. Most cops will radio that that they have a vehicle pulled over and their location, in addition, the 911 dispatchers know what sectors their units are in, and if they do not have a unit in that area they will send one.

Skeet6

This would mean absolutely nothing in NY State. I have seen a few state trooper ladies, barely 5 feet tall, (one in particular comes to mind, she might weigh about 85 lbs without the gunbelt and vest...)
In NYC, where I have a friend in NYPD, he said that they have actually hired a few little people now as well. (I am not sure the preferred term these days.)

Mike B

karman

In 1987 (the year this bozo pulled me over), ALL states had height requirements. That guy wouldn't have made the cut.

NC14GT

There are a lot of young posters on here. Very few of you are remembering all the Mustang 5.0L used by the various highway patrols back in the 80's and early 90's. In Florida it was a very common site, and many were unmarked. My own department had an unmarked '99 Camaro LS1 that had a top end speed of 158 mph.
A few photos of the FHP cars:

StangMahn

If you don't like unmarked, don't travel through South Carolina. They are everywhere and in absolutely everything. We've got Mustangs, Camaros, Tauruses, Crown Vics, Tahoes, Trucks, Explorers...you name it.

HOSS429

whether ours are marked or not you aint gunna outrun em .... .seriously though ... just dont speed .....

exchallenger

Unmarked cop cars aren't the problem, per se. The problem is police impersonators. I don't ever recall hearing of a cop in an unmarked car ever raping a female motorist. Again, any predator with a blue light can pull over unsuspecting women because they don't know it's not a cop and can't take the chance that it is. Ever see how cops react when a motorist DOESN'T obey their order to get out of the car? They will break the window and pull you out by your bleeping head, male or female, so not complying is not an option. This is a huge unreported problem all across the country.

DaGonz

The Massachusetts State Police also have unmarked vehicles... there are different divisions in the MSP... the hazardous devices unit, aka the bomb squad and the fire investigations unit, both are attached to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. They have black and blue F150's and F-250's with either caps or utility bodies and no markings whatsoever and running commercial plates.

The State Police Truck inspection teams have black Ford Expeditions with state police plates.

The State Police SWAT units can be in anything from expeditions and vans to armored vehicles.

Their anti-terrorism and undercover vehicles can be anything and everything.

The MSP also has unmarked Mustang GTs patrolling on the Mass Turnpike. Their blue strobe lights are in the fog lights and there are two small blue LED housings on the rear deck.

All of them can do traffic stops if required.

mrp5150

Seems to me like all of these unmarked cars are mainly located in the South? Wonder why that is?

southcarolina12

thats true. what town are you from in sc?

wanted33

You got it brother. My Wifey has been told if she is suspect of any blue light behind her to slow down, put her emergency flashers on to let the vehicle behind her know she is aware of them, and drive to a location that is well lit, or directly to the Police Dept. Keep the door locked, window up, and not make a suspicious move until she is sure it is a real Police Officer. And while all of this is happening, call 911.

There is no exception to this rule. I would rather bail her from jail, than identify her at the morgue.

Now as far as unmarked cars, these guys & gals are following orders. Also they would not be needed if speeding was so prevalent everywhere. And, if you do get a ticket the school budget will appreciate the donation.

StangMahn

Florence. Hopefully soon moving to Hilton Head. You?

Shelby Mama

My husband did this last February when we got pulled over for speeding in Milwaukee coming home from our honeymoon in Punta Cana. I thought the cop was going to pull out his gun and shoot my husband! We pulled off of the interstate into a well lit parking lot, with our hazard lights flashing, going slow.... The cop was yelling and scream,my husband just said he wanted to pull over somewhere safe. I understand in a bigger towns there are bigger problems but man, we were doing nothing wrong! I think that guy needed to retire!

wanted33

I understand Shelby. Some are more excitable than others. But, we have to understand also what these brave guys, and gals go through everyday. That's the reason I told the Wifey to make no unneeded movements when she does stop. Since I have a concealed carry permit, it shows up when the Officer runs my tag. She knows to put her hands on the steering wheel so the Officer can see them, and not to move until he/she instructs her too. She is also to tell the Officer she is not armed, and there is no firearms in the car. Me, and I'm sure your husband would have you do this than to be harmed in any way.

NC14GT

Yes it is a problem, and dealt with severely when the guy is eventually caught.
As wanted33 stated earlier, if you have doubts, drive slowly, acknowledge the unmarked car (flashers, turn signals, wave) and pull into a well lit or well travelled area. Cops in unmarked cars are well aware of this and our department had a marked patrol unit arrive as soon as possible. For any cop to become upset over this is unprofessional and he needs to be put back in a marked unit.
Just a humorous side story: When I was a detective I had an old undercover Ford LTD that only had one of those magnet blue lights for the roof. We were NOT supposed to pull people over unless an ultra flagrant violation where someone might get hurt. Sure enough one night (it's always at night it seems) some knucklehead was driving at very high speed up old US41 on the west coast of FL weaving in and out of traffic and ready to kill someone. Off I went and the driver ignored me completely (I did have a siren too to go along with that dinky blue light). Eventually a marked unit became involved (you can't outrun a radio) and pulled the guy over. I was in a jacket and tie and I swear the driver's jaw dropped to the ground. He kept muttering "no f***ing way, no f***ing way". You never know who is watching out there. The deputy and I had a good laugh after that one, and probably prevented an accident if that's the way this guy normally drove.

David Young

It would be a cold day in hell before i would pull over for a cop in an unmarked Mustang. I would go straight to the police headquarters. I told my wife to do the same thing......Never pull over for a car that doesn't look like a police car. They have been too many people robbed and or raped (women) by fake cops.

exchallenger

The cops in Carrollton Texas are still looking for the predator who pulled over a woman recently in a blue crown vic. Now why would somebody want to buy a used police car look-alike? Hmm, it's a mystery alright.
There really is no good reason to use unmarked cars to catch speeders, marked cars (with no old-fashioned light bars) do the same **** thing. What galls me is that it's not important enough for the cops to do. They KNOW women are being assaulted, or even killed, by these impersonators. They KNOW that, but still use unmarked cars which simply enable the impersonations to continue. You can't claim you live to protect the public and care so much about preventing crime while knowingly allowing this to continue. Frankly, I think a lot of police just don't care about this. Collateral damage.

David Young

In 1970 when i was in High School, we had a guy we called "cop a feel". He would turn on his blue lights and pull women over at night. He would go up to their car and feel their breast and then run off in his car. This went on for over a year. I don't think he was ever caught.

2012GT

It's called a midget here

NC14GT

Wow!! You lost a lot of credibility with this statement. So wrong on so many levels.