By Jessica Taloney Reporter
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Published: Wed, November 19, 2008 - 6:01 pm
Last Updated: Wed, November 19, 2008 - 6:30 pm
Jessica Taloney
In both cases the women were pulled over by a man in an unmarked car.
The first incident happened Tuesday evening on Highway 31 in Spanish Fort. The man was driving a white Dodge Charger with a single, blue revolving light on the dash board. Investigators say the woman became suspicious when the fake cop asked her to get out of the car.
"He could have been pretending to be a police officer because that's what he wants to do or he could have been up to pure evil," says Maj. Anthony Lowery of the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.
The woman says the fake cop was not wearing a uniform and did not show her a badge. She drove away and called police immediately. "She did all the right things. That's why she's safe today," says Lowery.
The second incident happened Wednesday around 10:30 a.m. on Highway 59 south of Bay Minette, according to Cpl. Joe Piggott, a spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Public Safety. Piggott says the man involved in this case claimed to be a state trooper. He was driving a beige Mercury Marquis with lights in the grill of the vehicle.
Piggott says the man in this case pulled a woman over and gave her a warning for speeding. Piggott says his department is confident the man is not a state trooper, but he says it is unclear whether the cases are connected.
If you're involved in a traffic stop and become suspicious of the person pulling you over, you can do the following:
(1) Turn on your caution lights and drive to a safe, well-lit location.
(2) Call 911 and ask to be connected to a dispatcher to verify whether the person making the traffic stop is a real officer.
(3) Always ask to see the officer's badge if he does not present it.
Investigators insist officers no longer use revolving dashboard lights. Instead, a true police officer will have strobe or LED lights.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has 5 Dodge Chargers in their fleet; however, four of the vehicles are marked, and the fifth vehicle, which is driven by an investigator with the Criminal Investigations Division, is unmarked but not white.
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Wow, yet another cop-bashing commentary. Here’s some things to do, other than what was stated above:
1) Police do use unmarked/ “slicktop” vehicles, but most of them have enough hidden blue lights to signal Mars.
2) Like stated above, put on a turn signal or hazard lights, slow down, and drive to the nearest well-lit area, if it’s a short distance away. Most cops are all too aware of phonies and will understand you’re not attempting to flee.
3) The officer should, but won’t always, have an official looking uniform. When requested, the officer should give you his name, department and sometimes badge number. You may also request the name of his/her supervisor.
If you do all this, explain your reasoning for your actions, and be polite and respectful, things should go safely. Also, keep in mind experienced cops often will wait to stop violators in well-lit areas as much for their safety as yours. Sometimes, though, it just isn’t feasible.