Q. If someone is pulled over by an unmarked vehicle (or pulled over at night, when they can’t see), how can a person know for sure it’s really a law enforcement officer?
A. Just the other day, on one of my many trips between Hesston and Newton, I saw someone pulled over on the interstate in an unmarked SUV.
I also recall seeing e-mail forwards through the years about calling 911 to confirm it’s an officer or putting on hazards and driving to a lit parking lot.
I posed the scenario to Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton and, shockingly enough, those e-mail forwards actually contained useful information.
Walton said if an unmarked vehicle attempts to pull you over, “it is best to pull over to a well-lit and preferably well-populated area (gas station, motel lot, retail store).
Do not get out of your car, but have the officer approach you and show identification that he/she is a law enforcement officer.
Walton went on to say if you have a cell phone, it’s a “very good idea” to dial 911 and advise the dispatcher of the situation.
“It is possible the 911 operator may not be in the same jurisdiction the unmarked vehicle is from. If they are, they will make contact with the officer in the unmarked unit and confirm that information to you.
“If they are not, and you feel uncomfortable with the stop, you may request an officer to respond to your location,” he said.
(As a side note, some e-mails suggest using different phone numbers, such as #77, to reach the highway patrol or law enforcement, but those numbers can vary from location, while 911 is easy to remember and isn’t going to switch around on you.)
On that note, drive safe this holiday weekend and hope you all have an unlaborious Labor Day!
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Q. If someone is pulled over by an unmarked vehicle (or pulled over at night, when they can’t see), how can a person know for sure it’s really a law enforcement officer?
A. Just the other day, on one of my many trips between Hesston and Newton, I saw someone pulled over on the interstate in an unmarked SUV.
I also recall seeing e-mail forwards through the years about calling 911 to confirm it’s an officer or putting on hazards and driving to a lit parking lot.
I posed the scenario to Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton and, shockingly enough, those e-mail forwards actually contained useful information.
Walton said if an unmarked vehicle attempts to pull you over, “it is best to pull over to a well-lit and preferably well-populated area (gas station, motel lot, retail store).
Do not get out of your car, but have the officer approach you and show identification that he/she is a law enforcement officer.
Walton went on to say if you have a cell phone, it’s a “very good idea” to dial 911 and advise the dispatcher of the situation.
“It is possible the 911 operator may not be in the same jurisdiction the unmarked vehicle is from. If they are, they will make contact with the officer in the unmarked unit and confirm that information to you.
“If they are not, and you feel uncomfortable with the stop, you may request an officer to respond to your location,” he said.
(As a side note, some e-mails suggest using different phone numbers, such as #77, to reach the highway patrol or law enforcement, but those numbers can vary from location, while 911 is easy to remember and isn’t going to switch around on you.)
On that note, drive safe this holiday weekend and hope you all have an unlaborious Labor Day!
