Is there any truth to this?

[850CSi]

My mom forwarded this to me...

Please everyone be careful! This happened only a few days ago!





I knew about the red light on cars, but not the *77. 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 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 and 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.

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 **Bell** Mobility confirmed that
*77 was a direct link to state trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let
your friends know about *77.

Send this to every woman (and person) you know; it may save a life.

I thought before that even unmarked cars can't have civilian license plates, they all have police plates. But yesterday I was on my way down to Indiana and a black Crown Vic with normal Illinois plates zooms past me in the left lane. I saw that it had lights hidden discreetly inside, a la undercover car. Was that an FBI car or something like that or can undercover cars have normal plates?

[Run Away]

What's the difference between Police and Civilian plates where you live?

Here, there's no difference, except most police plates start with AX_ ___

[ifcar]

In MD, police cars have official state and/or county plates.

[Champ]

Our plates just say POLICE

[Tom]

If I were Lauren I would have dialed .357 instead.

[dazzleman]

It all depends on state law.

Some states don't allow unmarked cars to pull people over, particularly on the highway.

When I lived in New York, my town had at least one unmarked car, with regular license plates, that pulled people over.  I have not seen that happen in Connecticut, though I have seen cars that are inconspicuously marked.

[MX793]

First off, this story is an urban legend and is not, to my knowledge, confirmed true.
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/fakecop.asp

About 10 years ago, the Governor of NY signed a law stating that unmarked state police cars cannot pull people over for traffic violations in NY.

[Raza]

Our unmarked cars have municipal plates.  

[850CSi]

Our unmarked cars have municipal plates.

Same with us. But does that mean that any car with normal plates can be a real undercover cop?

[Raza]

Our unmarked cars have municipal plates.

Same with us. But does that mean that any car with normal plates can be a real undercover cop?

Most likely.  

[Colonel Cadillac]

The unmarked cars in CT tend to be Dodge Intrepids, so I try to stay away from them. I never really noticed whether or not police cars had different plates.  

[dazzleman]

The unmarked cars in CT tend to be Dodge Intrepids, so I try to stay away from them. I never really noticed whether or not police cars had different plates.

The marked ones have a number, followed by a two-letter town code (FA=Fairfield).  Other municipal vehicles also use this system.

I have not noticed the plates on the unmarked cars.

[Raza]

The unmarked cars in CT tend to be Dodge Intrepids, so I try to stay away from them. I never really noticed whether or not police cars had different plates.

The marked ones have a number, followed by a two-letter town code (FA=Fairfield).  Other municipal vehicles also use this system.

I have not noticed the plates on the unmarked cars.

Ours either have "MV" (municipal vehicle) or "PV" (police vehicle) at the beginning of the plate, and it says it across the bottom.

[hounddog]

Here in Michigan, any police car can pull people over for anything.  However, if the car does not have side markings then a fleeing driver can not be charged with fleeing and eluding.  However, if a driver fails to pull over immediately to the right and come to a complete stop the driver can receive a citation for 'disobey a police officer signal.'  Even if the police car is completely unmarked.  But I do not know anyone who would write for that in that circumstance.  

Most of us understand, I have a wife.   If she were alone on a road in the middle of nowhere she is instructed to continue at the same speed and call 911.  The operator there will know in short order if the car trying to stop her is really an officer.  If not, she is to keep driving at the same speed and the 911 people will direct her where she needs to go.  

Also, here, our police cars have municiple plates that are distinguished with an x in the middle.  County sheriff plates are black with a star in the middle.  State police have red white and blue plates that say state police in yellow.  However, our detective cars can have regular civilian plates that are registered to the police department.  I have even seen out of state plates.  And here, any car can be a detectives car.  I have seen contours, imprezas, yugos, escorts, 70s and 80s pickups, I even saw a 2000 Caddy STS.  Our detective cars can cut off one or more lights at a time to look like joe blow.  They even will lower air pressure to look more convincing if need be.  

In Michigan, anything can be a police car. In 1998 I was in charge of a fugative recovery team, my detective car was a 1985 cutlass supreme with a v6, and a half vinal roof.  But it had all the newest electronic survelance gear, and a huge arsenal in the trunk.  All the engine, trans, suspension, axles, wheels, and anything else which goes bad and make a car unsafe replaced.  That was basically a new car mechanically.

[thewizard16]

We have quite a few unmarked vehicles around here (cars, SUVs, a Mustang, etc.) and there is no distinguishing marks on them or the plates. The only difference between civilian plates and police is at the bottom in small letters where mine says "The Natural State" theirs say "Public Property". I don't know how they'd expect women to know what to do around here at night.

[cozmik]

We have unmarked cars here with just regular license plates. We've also been getting some unmarked Chargers in as well, but they have the PP wheels on them, so they're spottable.

In PA, they have Buick LeSabers as unmarked undercover traffic cars. That's kind of terrifying.  

[Raza]

We have unmarked cars here with just regular license plates. We've also been getting some unmarked Chargers in as well, but they have the PP wheels on them, so they're spottable.

In PA, they have Buick LeSabers as unmarked undercover traffic cars. That's kind of terrifying.

Where in PA?  

[Tom]

We have unmarked cars here with just regular license plates. We've also been getting some unmarked Chargers in as well, but they have the PP wheels on them, so they're spottable.

In PA, they have Buick LeSabers as unmarked undercover traffic cars. That's kind of terrifying.

There goes my cover.

[SargeMonkey]

If I were Lauren I would have dialed .357 instead.

I don't think anyone else got that joke.

[Tom]

If I were Lauren I would have dialed .357 instead.

I don't think anyone else got that joke.

Atleast someone did  

[Raza]

If I were Lauren I would have dialed .357 instead.

I don't think anyone else got that joke.

Atleast someone did

I think we all did.  

[ifcar]

If I were Lauren I would have dialed .357 instead.

I don't think anyone else got that joke.

Atleast someone did

I think we all did.

I should hope we all did, anyway.  

[Tom]

So if everyone got it, but no one replied, then it wasn't funny.  Stupid internet, you can never tell.

[TurboDan]

In NJ, not only do they have regular plates, but they usually put one of the "Support Our Troops" magnets on to make it look more like a civilian car.

[dazzleman]

In NJ, not only do they have regular plates, but they usually put one of the "Support Our Troops" magnets on to make it look more like a civilian car.

You ought to know Dan, given your previous run-ins with NJ police....  

[TurboDan]

In NJ, not only do they have regular plates, but they usually put one of the "Support Our Troops" magnets on to make it look more like a civilian car.

You ought to know Dan, given your previous run-ins with NJ police....

Hehe.  Last time I got nabbed (wow, just about two years ago!) it was by a marked NJSP car hiding behind a sign on the Turnpike.  They faked me out - they had one car hiding out about one mile from another one.  Once I blew by the first, I figured I was good for a while and sped up.

:ph34r:  

[dazzleman]

In NJ, not only do they have regular plates, but they usually put one of the "Support Our Troops" magnets on to make it look more like a civilian car.

You ought to know Dan, given your previous run-ins with NJ police....

Hehe.  Last time I got nabbed (wow, just about two years ago!) it was by a marked NJSP car hiding behind a sign on the Turnpike.  They faked me out - they had one car hiding out about one mile from another one.  Once I blew by the first, I figured I was good for a while and sped up.

:ph34r:

Hah, I used that logic once, and ended up getting two tickets within 10 minutes of each other.  At least you only got one...  

[ifcar]

In NJ, not only do they have regular plates, but they usually put one of the "Support Our Troops" magnets on to make it look more like a civilian car.

Maybe they just support our troops.  :ph34r:  

[Catman]

Most of our have civilian plates.  And, yes, *77 goes to the state police.

[Raza]

Most of our have civilian plates.  And, yes, *77 goes to the state police.

Well, next time I get nicked, I'll be sure to dial it.  Especially if I've been nicked by an unmarked cozzer.