Dizzledan Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Driving on 270 on my way to work this morning, and a silver Chevy and beige Hyundai roar past me with lights and a fake-sounding siren blaring. People were getting out of their way, even pulling over on the shoulder for them. They pulled off to get onto 315-S. There was a trailer flipped over, maybe responding to that I guess. I cant help wondering given the civilian style plates, and lack of any official markings if these were just two guys who want to go places fast and mess with people.Are there any civilian style cars that get authorized to use police lights/siren? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblosser Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 uc, my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedogg624 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggyp Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Det, UC, taskforce, OSHP spec ops....... Yes a lot of cars are out there, you just don't always know about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undr_psi Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I've seen several unmarked cars all about the same color in the past week with lights and sirens on. One on 670e and one on Westerville rd today. Both were newer Chevy Malibu's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblosser Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 in central Ohio, beware of a light blue Fusion with dark tint on all windows.dude has an extreme case of road rage. That's all I'm able to discuss at this point in time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 There is a black Evo 8 that used to roll around the Elyria and Sheffield area waiting for people to race him. People must have gotten used to seeing a black Evo with lights on pulling over ricers and stopped racing him because I haven't seen it in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Seized vehicles are sometimes used for UC duty, but UC cars don't have lights and sirens. Surveillance vehicles would, but not a UC car. That kind of blows their cover. It's rare for nice cars to sit in impound very long unless they're evidence though. I am working on a case where the detective explicitly told the defense attorney he wanted the client's vehicle as a UC car. He was half joking, but only half... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzledan Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) Wow I had no idea. I've seen the drug bust shows on TV where the SWAT teams will use a tinted out minivan as a raid vehicle, or as an UC vehicle for drug buying. Never thought to think that far.Edit: Can these cars pull traffic over for violations? I always thought it had to be a marked cruiser in order to stop traffic. Otherwise anyone with $50 of LEDs and a Whelen box could impersonate. Edited October 3, 2012 by Dizzledan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevysoldier Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Wow I had no idea. I've seen the drug bust shows on TV where the SWAT teams will use a tinted out minivan as a raid vehicle, or as an UC vehicle for drug buying. Never thought to think that far.Edit: Can these cars pull traffic over for violations? I always thought it had to be a marked cruiser in order to stop traffic. Otherwise anyone with $50 of LEDs and a Whelen box could impersonate.Yes. Our unmarked car has dash and grill lights and a normal issued style plate.And technically they can pull over for raffic. The ORC reads that a vehicle that is primarily used for traffic enforcement must be marked and have a light on top. Nothing states an unmarked, or slick top, can't enforce traffic just can't be its primary function. Most departments I'm aware of don't allow unmarked to do traffic for the reason that people may think someone is impersonating an officer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggyp Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Most departments don't have many strictly surveillance vehicles, but even then they have lights and sirens. It's the STING vehicles that have nothing in them (except a camera or two).Most UC cars you actually see have LED's that are very small and unnoticeable. The current ones in use go in the headlights and change red/blue and they are brighter than overhead takedowns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggyp Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Most departments I'm aware of don't allow unmarked to do traffic for the reason that people may think someone is impersonating an officerThis!!And all of the sudden you have everyone who gets a ticket thinking they are a lawyer and trying to take it to trial, mostly wasting city money due to feeling "the car had no markings that's not fair". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzledan Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Yes. Our unmarked car has dash and grill lights and a normal issued style plate.Gotcha, that's good to know. So they were likely headed out to the tipped over trailer to help out or something. Thanks for replying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idodishez Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Indiana has all kinds of unmarked cars, equipped w lights for routine speeding tickets. But IIRC their was some stipulation as to having to be in full uniform. Nobama 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevysoldier Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 To be clear, my earlier comments only apply to Ohio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSB67 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 There were some very stealthy cars like this in my hometown, eventually you made a note of them when passing by major events. Like a random LBTS 10yr old teal base model Grand Am. I heard stories over the years that if you actually did something dumb enough traffic-wise to engage them, they would pull you over and just sit there until a marked car showed up.I saw one at Rock on the Range too. Pulling in the lot I was behind it and wondering who the hell puts a "Click it or Ticket" sticker on their LBTS aging american mid-size shitbox. Walking from my truck to the gate I saw it lit up with a kid bent over the hood in handcuffs. Couldn't even tell which of the guys standing around it were the cops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radio Flyer Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I saw a group of 8 of them going down High St. not very long ago. There are a lot more of them out than people think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Wow I had no idea. I've seen the drug bust shows on TV where the SWAT teams will use a tinted out minivan as a raid vehicle, or as an UC vehicle for drug buying. Never thought to think that far.many departments will also have a yellow crown vic (or share one with neighboring departments) that is used undercover as a cab. Prostitution busts and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Had a couple help me in an unmarked Malibu on time when I lost cargo from my roof rack braking to avoid a deer. They had lights etc and were in plain clothes. Said they were with the state and used their vehicle to give me a safe space to get my crap sorted out.Yesterday saw another similar Malibu with two smartly dressed guys OC's like it was no big thing. Detectives I guess.Called in an unmarked crown vic pulling over a car on the freeway once and the dispatcher took the plate and description of the vehicle and said it was one of theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolWhip Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 This is pretty scary. I don't know if I would pull over for an unmarked vehicle. I would probably have to call it in first to confirm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flounder Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I wouldnt stop for one until I called and validated they were legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsfan1 Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Lots of uc use unmarked civilian cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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