ISP Unmarked Cars

[baddyna96]

Watch out for the White Dodge Ram missing a hub cap east of I-65 along I-80
both ways.....

There is a silver Mustang GT that runs the same area too.

 

[Bunnykid68]

They should all be marked with big giant light bars like they used to have. Why are the police hiding in plain sight just so that they can generate revenue? I don't know about anyone else, but most people slow down when they see a police car. If we are going to have this damn many officers on the road, let them be seen so people will slow down and pay attention to their driving.

Unmarked police cars are for revenue purposes, but I am sure there are 1 or 2 other reasons for unmarked cars

 

[Bill B]

Oh, another thing... They're always black (or white) and always obscenely clean. Cops in unmarked cars tend to take pride in their vehicles and, as such, tend to keep them very extremely clean on the outside. Black (and white) are the hardest colors to keep clean.

If they went with normal colors and not always cop black, cop white, or cop maroon red it would be harder to identify them as well.

There is a beige charger up here in "da region." I've seen it primarily on 94, but occasionally on 65 as well.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

2) If you are being pulled over by an unmarked unit and you are not sure if they are legit, you can call 911 and speak to the dispatcher to find out if you are really being pulled over.

You can call and have an open line just in case, but there are multiple Dispatch centers even for the smallest of towns. ISP is dispatched from their own posts, and a local dispatch center has no idea what Troopers in there area are doing, as an example.

IMPD dispatch couldn't tell you even if it was an IMPD officer. Control operators keep track of who's marked out where, not Dispatch, and each control operator is monitoring one channel. If you're being pulled over on North district, the Southeast controller has no idea.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I don't know about anyone else, but most people slow down when they see a police car. If we are going to have this damn many officers on the road, let them be seen so people will slow down and pay attention to their driving.

Unmarked police cars are for revenue purposes, but I am sure there are 1 or 2 other reasons for unmarked cars

...and then speed right back up once they are out of sight. If you don't know which one is a police car, you're more likely to drive like there's always a police car.

I love that ISP has UCs in their construction zones. Speeding in a construction zone is a huge dick move, those workers literally have their butt hanging on the line. If any DOT vehicle could be a police vehicle and it makes people slow down, good.

 

[Bill B]

...and then speed right back up once they are out of sight. If you don't know which one is a police car, you're more likely to drive like there's always a police car.
The evidence says otherwise. If this were true nobody would drive like a dick.

I love that ISP has UCs in their construction zones. Speeding in a construction zone is a huge dick move, those workers literally have their butt hanging on the line. If any DOT vehicle could be a police vehicle and it makes people slow down, good.
This part I totally agree with

See above in red

 

[churchmouse]

I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO MISSILE STRIKES ON THOSE WHO RUN BLATANTLY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ZONES At ridiculous speeds....

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The evidence says otherwise. If this were true nobody would drive like a dick.

People slow down when they see a Crown Vic because they think it MIGHT be a police car. Now the same with Chargers. See how many people on here say they are slowing down because they recognize the type of head lamps or tail lamps for those cars?

How many people started slowing down when they saw a new Mustang once they learned ISP was using them.

Won't you now be a bit more cautious around a DOT marked Dodge Ram?

When I was in the military, the MPs used Chevys while in garrison, including a pickup with a camper shell. Everyone drove more carefully around Chevys, or black trucks with camper shells, but paid no attention at all to people driving Crown Vics.

I'd say the evidence pretty firmly points to people driving better if they don't know which cars are police cars and which aren't. Indiana just hasn't taken advantage of that and used much in the way of unmarkeds for traffic enforcement.

 

[Skywired]

People slow down when they see a Crown Vic because they think it MIGHT be a police car. Now the same with Chargers. See how many people on here say they are slowing down because they recognize the type of head lamps or tail lamps for those cars?

How many people started slowing down when they saw a new Mustang once they learned ISP was using them.

Won't you now be a bit more cautious around a DOT marked Dodge Ram?

When I was in the military, the MPs used Chevys while in garrison, including a pickup with a camper shell. Everyone drove more carefully around Chevys, or black trucks with camper shells, but paid no attention at all to people driving Crown Vics.

I'd say the evidence pretty firmly points to people driving better if they don't know which cars are police cars and which aren't. Indiana just hasn't taken advantage of that and used much in the way of unmarkeds for traffic enforcement.

That's why I've driven Crown Vic's for years....clears all the clutter in front of me on the interstates.....

 

[Indiana Camper]

That's why I've driven Crown Vic's for years....clears all the clutter in front of me on the interstates.....

If only this were true. I hate when people drive under the limit in front of me in the fast lane. Oh well, guess it's the price I pay to drive for free.

 

[MikeDVB]

You can call and have an open line just in case, but there are multiple Dispatch centers even for the smallest of towns. ISP is dispatched from their own posts, and a local dispatch center has no idea what Troopers in there area are doing, as an example.

IMPD dispatch couldn't tell you even if it was an IMPD officer. Control operators keep track of who's marked out where, not Dispatch, and each control operator is monitoring one channel. If you're being pulled over on North district, the Southeast controller has no idea.

That sounds like your problem, not mine. If I am being pulled over by an officer that I do not really believe is an officer I will call 911 and make that clear. If they are not able to verify it's an officer, I will not stop on the side of the road but will drive to the nearest police department or law enforcement agency.

If it's a real cop, then they can follow me all the way there.

Good luck making the case I was trying to flee or elude by calling 911 to verify it was an officer and then by driving *to* a police department.

 

[j706]

You can call and have an open line just in case, but there are multiple Dispatch centers even for the smallest of towns. ISP is dispatched from their own posts, and a local dispatch center has no idea what Troopers in there area are doing, as an example.

IMPD dispatch couldn't tell you even if it was an IMPD officer. Control operators keep track of who's marked out where, not Dispatch, and each control operator is monitoring one channel. If you're being pulled over on North district, the Southeast controller has no idea.

And then you have Hendricks County with one dispatch center. You can be marked out on a traffic stop through them and they usually won't have a clue. Ask me how I know. Seriously jacked up place is an understatement.

 

[j706]

That sounds like your problem, not mine. If I am being pulled over by an officer that I do not really believe is an officer I will call 911 and make that clear. If they are not able to verify it's an officer, I will not stop on the side of the road but will drive to the nearest police department or law enforcement agency.

If it's a real cop, then they can follow me all the way there.

Good luck making the case I was trying to flee or elude by calling 911 to verify it was an officer and then by driving *to* a police department.

They would not be a hard case to make at all. Would it go like this; Ummm Judge I didn't think it was a real officer and called 911 to verify...they couldn't verify so I drove three miles to a PD I knew of. It ended up being a real cop and he arrested me for resisting LE /vehicle. Think it over real good is my suggestion.

I am confident in saying that if some able bodied male refused to pull over for me as you described, I am not going to be to happy about it. I feel quit confident that most judges would agree with me.

Read this REAL close.

(a) A person who knowingly or intentionally:
(1) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a law enforcement officer or a person assisting the officer while the officer is lawfully engaged in the execution of the officer's duties;
(2) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with the authorized service or execution of a civil or criminal process or order of a court; or
(3) flees from a law enforcement officer after the officer has, by visible or audible means, including operation of the law enforcement officer's siren or emergency lights, identified himself or herself and ordered the person to stop;
commits resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, except as provided in subsection (b).
(b) The offense under subsection (a) is a:
(1) Class D felony if:
(A) the offense is described in subsection (a)(3) and the person uses a vehicle to commit the offense; or
(B) while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person draws or uses a deadly weapon, inflicts bodily injury on or otherwise causes bodily injury to another person, or operates a vehicle in a manner that creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person;
(2) Class C felony if, while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person operates a vehicle in a manner that causes serious bodily injury to another person; and
(3) Class B felony if, while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person operates a vehicle in a manner that causes the death of another person.
(c) For purposes of this section, a law enforcement officer includes an enforcement officer of the alcohol and tobacco commission and a conservation officer of the department of natural resources.
(d) If a person uses a vehicle to commit a felony offense under subsection (b)(1)(B), (b)(2), or (b)(3), as part of the criminal penalty imposed for the offense, the court shall impose a minimum executed sentence of at least:
(1) thirty (30) days, if the person does not have a prior unrelated conviction under this section;
(2) one hundred eighty (180) days, if the person has one (1) prior unrelated conviction under this section; or
(3) one (1) year, if the person has two (2) or more prior unrelated convictions under this section.
(e) Notwithstanding IC 35-50-2-2 and IC 35-50-3-1, the mandatory minimum sentence imposed under subsection (d) may not be suspended.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.148, SEC.4. Amended by Acts 1977, P.L.340, SEC.61; Acts 1979, P.L.83, SEC.11; P.L.188-1984, SEC.1; P.L.325-1987, SEC.1; P.L.248-1993, SEC.1; P.L.13-1998, SEC.1; P.L.143-2006, SEC.2.

 

[MikeDVB]

They would not be a hard case to make at all. Would it go like this; Ummm Judge I didn't think it was a real officer and called 911 to verify...they couldn't verify so I drove three miles to a PD I knew of. It ended up being a real cop and he arrested me for resisting LE /vehicle. Think it over real good is my suggestion.

Sure, and then I get a copy of the 911 tape where I tell them that if they can't verify the person behind me is, indeed, an officer that I will drive to the nearest police station where I can be sure that, if said person isn't an officer, a real officer will be there.

I am confident in saying that if some able bodied male refused to pull over for me as you described, I am not going to be to happy about it. I feel quit confident that most judges would agree with me.

So what you're saying is that because I'm an able bodied male, I *should be able to handle it myself* if the person behind me is an impersonator?

What if this impersonator has a gun and is willing to use it?

(1) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a law enforcement officer or a person assisting the officer while the officer is lawfully engaged in the execution of the officer's duties;

Calling 911 to verify, and then upon failure to verify driving to a police department is not 'forcibly' resisting, obstructing, or interfering with.

Sheer fact of the matter is that if I can't verify you're an officer, and 911 can't verify you're an officer - as far as I'm concerned you're not an officer until proven otherwise.

(2) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with the authorized service or execution of a civil or criminal process or order of a court; or

Again, wouldn't have been forcibly done anything.

(3) flees from a law enforcement officer after the officer has, by visible or audible means, including operation of the law enforcement officer's siren or emergency lights, identified himself or herself and ordered the person to stop;

There is a lot in this clause that would lead one to believe the person behind them is an officer. Lights alone in an unmarked car that appears suspicious enough that warrants a call to 911 to verify isn't enough.

Let's make it clear - I am not saying I would not pull over for an unmarked car (I've been stopped by an unmarked before). I will just not do so in the event that the car is suspicious and I do not believe it to be an officer. (i.e. only lights up by the mirror, nowhere else would be an indicator. I've *never* seen a police car (even unmarked) that didn't at least have wigwags and more than lights up by the mirror.

And then beyond all of that, if I felt it suspicious enough I would call 911 and verify and follow their directions. If they informed me to go ahead and pull over, that's exactly what I would do.

If the vehicle is suspicious to the point that I don't believe it's actually an officer and 911 can't verify it for me, I'll stay on the phone with 911 and let them record the incident as I rolled all the way to the nearest known-good officer or police department.

At the end of the day, I'd rather be in jail and fight a ridiculous charge than be dead on the side of the road to some crazy cop-wannabe.

You have to realize, of course, my issue isn't with the police - it's with the crazy people out there that think themselves police when they are really not.

 

[churchmouse]

That's why I've driven Crown Vic's for years....clears all the clutter in front of me on the interstates.....

In 1996 I bought a new Black Impala S/S and folks used to freak out when they saw it coming. LEO was using Impalas and mine looked very stealthy in your mirrors.
The wife drove it daily up to Fishers and loved watching the brake lights when she rolled up on traffic.

I miss that car.

 

[j706]

Sure, and then I get a copy of the 911 tape where I tell them that if they can't verify the person behind me is, indeed, an officer that I will drive to the nearest police station where I can be sure that, if said person isn't an officer, a real officer will be there.

So what you're saying is that because I'm an able bodied male, I *should be able to handle it myself* if the person behind me is an impersonator?

What if this impersonator has a gun and is willing to use it?

Calling 911 to verify, and then upon failure to verify driving to a police department is not 'forcibly' resisting, obstructing, or interfering with.

Sheer fact of the matter is that if I can't verify you're an officer, and 911 can't verify you're an officer - as far as I'm concerned you're not an officer until proven otherwise.

Again, wouldn't have been forcibly done anything.

There is a lot in this clause that would lead one to believe the person behind them is an officer. Lights alone in an unmarked car that appears suspicious enough that warrants a call to 911 to verify isn't enough.

Let's make it clear - I am not saying I would not pull over for an unmarked car (I've been stopped by an unmarked before). I will just not do so in the event that the car is suspicious and I do not believe it to be an officer. (i.e. only lights up by the mirror, nowhere else would be an indicator. I've *never* seen a police car (even unmarked) that didn't at least have wigwags and more than lights up by the mirror.

And then beyond all of that, if I felt it suspicious enough I would call 911 and verify and follow their directions. If they informed me to go ahead and pull over, that's exactly what I would do.

If the vehicle is suspicious to the point that I don't believe it's actually an officer and 911 can't verify it for me, I'll stay on the phone with 911 and let them record the incident as I rolled all the way to the nearest known-good officer or police department.

At the end of the day, I'd rather be in jail and fight a ridiculous charge than be dead on the side of the road to some crazy cop-wannabe.

You have to realize, of course, my issue isn't with the police - it's with the crazy people out there that think themselves police when they are really not.

So you would follow a dispatchers orders but not the officers? The lights coming on are a order to pull to the right side of the road. A dispatcher has no authority to give orders. Heck that is dangerous at best. In the end you are the one who will be doing the explaining. Heck give it a whirl someday and then get back with us.

 

[terrehautian]

If only this were true. I hate when people drive under the limit in front of me in the fast lane. Oh well, guess it's the price I pay to drive for free.

Worked at a medical transport place that used former cop cars (Crown Vics) with the company logo on the side with a spot light where cops had them. I was excited when I got a trip to my town (from Vincennes where I went to school). Driving that car on 41 north was fun seeing all the brake lights.

 

[foszoe]

So you would follow a dispatchers orders but not the officers? The lights coming on are a order to pull to the right side of the road. A dispatcher has no authority to give orders. Heck that is dangerous at best. In the end you are the one who will be doing the explaining. Heck give it a whirl someday and then get back with us.

After the unmarked car "identifies" itself by lighting up, I think all of us will still use our best judgment. Am I on the interstate and the car pulls out of the median and traffic is heavy? Am I in a public, well lit area?

If its a car that comes up behind me suddenly in traffic and suddenly I notice lights on, well, the unmarked car better have more than a revolving blue light special in the dash or I am with MikeDVB, I ain't stopping, and you can throw the book at me for it. I also don't usually have a phone with me so I won't be calling 911. I will be going to a well lit area. It's happened to me and it was a guy that had a light and was in a hurry as far as I could tell.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

That sounds like your problem, not mine. If I am being pulled over by an officer that I do not really believe is an officer I will call 911 and make that clear. If they are not able to verify it's an officer, I will not stop on the side of the road but will drive to the nearest police department or law enforcement agency.

If it's a real cop, then they can follow me all the way there.

Good luck making the case I was trying to flee or elude by calling 911 to verify it was an officer and then by driving *to* a police department.

I was just correcting the often repeated "fact" that calling the dispatch center can tell you if the car behind you is really a police car or not. Do whatever you want, just be prepared to take the consequences for your choices.

 

[Indiana Camper]

Many dispatch centers really have no clue what their own officer's are doing. And it could be state police who use their own dispatch. Your 911 call may be picked up by a cell tower in another city/county and their dispatch
I am not saying you should pull over no matter what. Just don't think the dispatch can automatically verify it for you. Most real legit police cars are going to have a decent amount o Most real legit police cars are going to have a decent amount of lights.