"I got the following e mail from a cousin in NJ. Is this true? What
do I do if an unmarked car wants to pull me over? Here is the e mail
she sent me:
>>It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving
>>to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and
>>put his lights on. *Lauren's parents have always told them never to
>>pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather
>>to wait until they get to a gas station, etc. * Lauren had actually
>>listened to her parents advice, and promptly called * 77 on her
>>cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull
>>over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there
>>was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop
>>behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars
>>near where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep
>>driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.
>>Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her along with the unmarked
>>car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others
>>surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and
>>tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and
>>wanted for other crimes, including previous Impersonating an
>>Officer charges. I never knew about the*77 Cell Phone feature, but
>>especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for
>>an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to
>>keep going to a safe &quiet place. You obviously need to make some
>>signals that you acknowledge them (i.e. put on your hazard lights)
>>or call *77 like Lauren did. Too bad the cell phone companies don't
>>generally give you this little bit of wonderful information.
>>*Speaking to a service representative at BellSouth Mobility
>>confirmed that *77 was a direct link to state trooper info in all
>>states. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about *77.
>>Send this to every woman (or person) you know; it may save a life."
In Vermont, there is no law related to this issue other than that forbidding someone from impersonating a police officer (13 VSA 3002). There is a lot of common sense involved in the article above, but it needs to be tempered with understanding of the officer’s point of view as well.
If you find yourself in the above situation and have a cell phone, it would be a very good idea to call 911 and explain what is going on. Also, it is good to turn on your flashers, obey the speed limit, and the like. Hopefully, and most likely, the 911 dispatcher will be able to confirm that it is a police officer and you can safely stop.
However, if you are unable to confirm if it is an officer or not and decide to continue on to a more populated area, you should be aware of some potential consequences. It is very possible that when you do finally stop at the gas station, police station, or the like, the officer will be operating as if a pursuit just ended. He will likely yell commands to you over a speaker. He or she may handcuff you. You may even be searched and placed into a police car before you have an opportunity to explain why you did what you did.
If these things happened and it is a real officer, it would be best to comply with the officer as much as you can. You will have the chance to explain what was going on, but the stress and heat of the moment when the “pursuit” has ended is not the time to do it. More than likely any reasonable officer, when you explain what happened, is going to release you as long as you acted legally, safely, and appropriately. Just wait until the perceived emergency situation that the officer is operating in has calmed down.
Here are a few suggestions in determining if the officer trying to stop you is real and you do not have a cell phone. If there is more than one car trying to stop you, then it is probably legitimate. I have heard stories similar to the above in the past but have never heard of two police cars being involved.
If you see other police cars with their lights on blocking intersections or stopping traffic along the route you are traveling, the officer behind is probably real. Police do this during pursuits to try and protect the public.
Not that we have one in Brattleboro, but if there were a helicopter over your head with a million candlepower spotlight on you, then the officer behind is probably real.
I do not think that *77 will connect you to all the state police in every state. But 911, which has the same number of buttons to push, certainly will.
For reference, 23 VSA 1133 requires drivers to stop for the police when signalled to do so.
If you have a question for the Brattleboro Police Department Ask-A-Cop, please email it to info@ibrattleboro.com with “Ask-A-Cop” in the subject line.