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  • Thoughts on Coworker ticketed by unmarked/plainclothes officer

    My coworker related this story after being late. She wants to fight the ticket.

    Her car has been shimmying when she goes over a certain speed; she's waiting to have it checked. To get to work on the highway is 55. She said she was going 45; minimum speed there is 40 without flashers. She was in the rightmost lane, about 4pm, when she said a car sped up behind her and ride her bumper. It dropped back and flashed its high beams at her, then repeated the motion a couple times. She kept waving for him to pass her in the left hand lane, not knowing what he was doing. Then the red and blue lights on the dash turned-on and the car 'whoop-whooped' so she pulled over.

    She said the officer was in plain clothes and she asked for his name and badge number to prove he was a police officer. He said he didn't have to give her that. He wrote her a ticket for driving too slowly.

    She's pretty upset. She said he was mad she didn't pull over right away. She explained that she didn't know what he was trying to communicate with the following her and flashing the headlights. In our job, a speeding ticket isn't the worst thing, but you have to report any citations to the company. From what I've read, unmarked plainclothes officers can stop you, but have to call a marked patrol car to issue the ticket. She also wasn't under the minimum limit and wasn't impeding traffic. So I'm wondering if it's a fantastic story to explain why she was late, or if there really is THAT bad of a police officer out there!
    "If anyone wants this old box containing the broken bits of my former faith in humanity, I'll take your best offer now. You may be able to salvage a few of em' for parts..... " - Quote by Argabarga

  • #2
    Well, if she's not making it up, she should have a copy of the citation that was issued. And, I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure police officers are required by law to positively identify themselves (police issued photo id, badge number) when asked to do so. I'd suggest to her that she contact the local police and find out what's the real deal.
    You're only delaying the inevitable, you run at your own expense. The repo man gets paid to chase you. ~Argabarga

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    • #3
      As long as it's in the officers jurisdiction, they can issue tickets plain clothed, though i believe they need a better reason than if they were in uniform, as most departments prefer for them to have the uniform on for safety and other concerns. A stealth cruiser or unmarked vehicle is quite normal for traffic stops.
      She would have to argue in court about it, but i give it pretty good odds to have it thrown away, as long as she shows up. Ensure she brings mechanical documents about the shimmy at higher speed, as well as possible future appointments to get it fixed, etc.

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      • #4
        It's been a while since I was last ticketed, but I recall my ticket had the officer's name and I think it had some kind of identifying number (don't know if it was a badge number). I would expect her ticket has something to trace back to that specific officer.
        A lion however, will only devour your corpse, whereas an SC is not sated until they have destroyed your soul. (Quote per infinitemonkies)

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        • #5
          Wasn't the officer's information on the ticket itself? There should be some information there documenting who he was.

          ETA: Dammit, bainsidhe beat me to it.
          Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, you speak with the Fraud department. -- CrazedClerkthe2nd
          OW! Rolled my eyes too hard, saw my brain. -- Seanette
          she seems to top me in crazy, and I'm enough crazy for my family. -- Cooper
          Yes, I am evil. What's your point? -- Jester

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          • #6
            In most areas in the US, it is generally procedure (if not law) that an officer is supposed to provide their badge number when asked...but some try not to. If someone is pulled over by an unmarked car by someone in plainclothes, it is considered legal to contact 911 to have it verified that the person is an actual officer, and not an impersonator. It is considered acceptable to crack a window and inform them as such (and if it's an impersonator, they will often bug out at that point).

            As for the ticket, the officer has to prove that she was driving under the posted minimum speed of the highway. If she was not, or he cannot do so, the ticket goes away.
            "That's too bad. Hospitals aren't fun to fight through."
            "What IS fun to fight through?"
            "Gardens. Electronics shops. Antique stores, but only if they're classy."

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            • #7
              I'm going to assume your coworker isn't completely full of shit, and my reply will be based on that assumption.

              The bottom line is, 'No ID, no cop.' Law officers are required to show ID on demand, even in uniform, I believe. Your coworker should start making some calls RIGHT NOW, because I'm getting a whiff of 'scam.' And under NO circumstances should she attempt to 'pay the ticket out' until she's verified the 'cop' really WAS a cop. And if he really WAS a law officer, I'd be speaking to his captain at the earliest possibility. Failure to provide ID when asked is a violation of public trust and can lead to a reprimand, I'm pretty sure. They DO take this shit seriously.

              And now, a general warning to EVERYONE:

              Folks, if someone in plain clothes pulls you over, claims to be a cop, and refuses to show ID, DO NOT get out of the car. Remain in the vehicle, roll up your windows, lock your doors, and call 911. Seriously. It might not be 'just' a scam. If the person really is a cop, he won't have a problem with you calling in other cops. If he tries to run off, get a plate number. If he tries to force you from the car, DRIVE AWAY and head for someplace public.

              I may seem a bit 'passionate' about this, but that's only because a few years back there was some creep in these parts driving around in a retired police car, randomly pulling women over and 'searching' them. Fortunately, it never got any more serious than that, but the potential certainly was there. He had a uniform and everything. That stuff isn't as hard to get as you might think, and it's for that very reason that police are required to provide ID on demand.
              Last edited by MadMike; 04-26-2014, 09:39 PM. Reason: Please don't quote the entire post. We've already read it.

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              • #8
                Oh yes: and if she decides to pay the fine (or is told it's valid), she should pay it in person at the official location: whether that be a courthouse or a police station. Somewhere where she knows exactly where the money is going.

                And need I say she must get a receipt and keep it?
                Seshat's self-help guide:
                1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
                2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
                3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
                4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

                "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

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                • #9
                  Someone here in my area (I40/I95 split) was also pulling the fake police officer bit a year or two back. They were taking folks money instead of "writing out a ticket". I cannot recall if they ever caught them (it appeared to be a team), but it made our news.
                  But the paint on me is beginning to dry
                  And it's not what I wanted to be
                  The weight on me
                  Is Hanging on to a weary angel - Sister Hazel

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                  • #10
                    As I think about it, I really think there is more to the story. I'm curious what the ticket said the citation was for. Going too slow is different than going below the posted limit. If she was impeding traffic in any way, or if the officer thought a "shimmy" in her vehicle posed a hazard, perhaps the ticket was for that?

                    Regardless, your coworker has an option to fight the ticket in court. I strongly suggest she get a statement (or even two) from a mechanic stating how fast her car could comfortabley travel and that it was roadworthy. I doubt the court will appreciate how she could barely drive over the minimum posted limit because her car would start to shimmy. At least if she has a mechanic's statement, she can prove her car was safe to drive at certain speeds.
                    A lion however, will only devour your corpse, whereas an SC is not sated until they have destroyed your soul. (Quote per infinitemonkies)

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                    • #11
                      Most places a moving violation results in increase in insurance premiums.... Worth fighting if only for that reason. (Note that you need to get the charge completely dropped, or at least lowered to a less serious category from the insurance companies perspective).
                      There's no such thing as a stupid question... just stupid people.

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                      • #12
                        Quoth ADeMartino View Post
                        I may seem a bit 'passionate' about this, but that's only because a few years back there was some creep in these parts driving around in a retired police car, randomly pulling women over and 'searching' them.
                        There have been a couple of instances--locally--where that was happening. Both departments involved had to quit using unmarked cruisers. Once the fake cop stories hit the news, people weren't stopping even for *legit* cops, some of whom were driving unmarked cars. One of the fakes was on I-70, around Washington, PA. The other, was on Route 51, south of Pittsburgh.
                        Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

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                        • #13
                          The fake traffic ticket used to be a common scam in the poorer countries in Southeast Asia, someone claiming to be a police officer would pull you over and start issuing a ticket then offer a reduced price if you paid them in cash.

                          Not sure about other countries but in Australia it is a good idea to record the unmarked cars number plates. If it turns out to be a legit cop doing the correct thing then no problems, if otherwise the police department can then use the information to track down the offending person for disciplinary action.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth ADeMartino View Post
                            a few years back there was some creep in these parts driving around in a retired police car, randomly pulling women over and 'searching' them.
                            That's how the Hillside Strangler got their victims. It's a pretty common ploy, as toy badges can look quite real in the dark, and it's pretty easy to buy a blue light.
                            Last edited by Dave1982; 05-01-2014, 05:53 PM. Reason: there was no need to quote the entire post. we just read it
                            Labor boards have info on local laws for free
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                            CS proves Dunning-Kruger effect

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                            • #15
                              Quoth Ophbalance View Post
                              Someone here in my area (I40/I95 split) was also pulling the fake police officer bit a year or two back. They were taking folks money instead of "writing out a ticket". I cannot recall if they ever caught them (it appeared to be a team), but it made our news.
                              Seems like I vaguely recall that making the news as far west as the Piedmont (where I'm at.)

                              Pretty scary stuff. Luckily I've not heard of that happening here around Greensboro so far. *knocks on wood*
                              Human Resources - the adult version of "I'm telling Mom." - Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (NCIS)

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