Odd Police Encounter

[Scott in Houston]

This morning, while taking my daughter to school, I had a weird experience.

I am in the HOV lane heading into town. She goes to a private school that requires a 30 minute drive each morning, but having her in the back and using HOV sure helps...
Anyway, it's HOV only, not toll tag. And coming flying up behind me is this old (10-12 year old) and beat up Chrysler of some sort. I see there's only one guy in there driving and no passenger. So in addition to the blatant speeding in heavy traffic, and the tailgating off my bumper by maybe a foot or two, he's driving solo in the HOV.

I start slowing down as I always do when tailgated. Not to teach a lesson necessarily, but because I'll now need a longer time to stop in order to keep this guy from hitting me should I need to stop. Well, this sets him off. He tries to pass me, but can't then gets behind me again tailing me. I slow down again.

All of the sudden, up where the passenger sun visor is, there are red & blue flashing lights! This can't be an official vehicle. It's too old and beat up. I started thinking it was a citizen with some illegal setup on his car trying to scare me. Anyway, I slow down more and pull out of the HOV lane to see what happens and if he's trying to pull me over. He gets next to me... and doesn't stay behind me thank goodness.
Sure enough, it's a cop in uniform (I think Sheriff, not sure) who pulls up beside me, lowers his window and points at me while yelling something.

I just waved in the passive "I'm sorry" way... even though I wasn't guilty of anything but don't want a hassle. The officer then continues on his way speeding way too fast in rush hour traffic and tailgating the next car in front on the HOV.

I was close to calling 911 when I first saw the lights to verify whether it was a real cop or not. Had he attempted to pull me over, I would have FOR SURE called 911. Not too far from there, someone was carjacked and I think shot by poser police. Everything about this encounter was just WRONG. I respect police officers and what they do as a service, and I realize they are human too, but come on. I wish there was a way some sort of reprimand could get to this guy.. especially if he makes a habit of this.

Edited to remove profanity and pseudo profanity.

Excaliber

[speedsix]

...gotta agree with you...we give 'em the whole road when they need it...if he'd been on official business and had his lights on at first...you'd have given up your HOV lane to him instantly...he was just being a jerk...cops..much as we love 'em...are just people...and I had my "JerK 1" moments when I was one ...you did good...

[Munk]

Some words just define a person better than others. That word seemed to fit nicely.

[JNMAR]

Sounds more like a volunteer fireman late for his fire hose washing session to me. Well that's not exactly fair, we do have a constable that would pull something like that here too.

[Commander]

Are you sure it was a legit LEO? Here in the Dallas area we've had several incidents of LEO look-a-likes making traffic stops. At least one was arrested after being found driving an older (former Police) Crown Vic equipped with red and blue lights. Suspect had a police looking uniform with generic patches, handcuffs, etc.

[tallmike]

JNMAR-
Good job trying to give folks that volunteer their time to help others a bad name.

[Scott in Houston]

Are you sure it was a legit LEO? Here in the Dallas area we've had several incidents of LEO look-a-likes making traffic stops. At least one was arrested after being found driving an older (former Police) Crown Vic equipped with red and blue lights. Suspect had a police looking uniform with generic patches, handcuffs, etc.

That's why I stated that I would call 911. I would not have pulled over until the operator confirmed he was legit.

This story happened only 1 mile from where this incident happened to me this morning. This was the 1st thing on my mind when I saw those lights appearing in the window of an old, beat up car.

http://www.ultimatekaty.com/stories/224 ... rs-in-katy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Carry-a-Kimber]

JNMAR-
Good job trying to give folks that volunteer their time to help others a bad name.

On the Op, did you get a plate number?

[Scott in Houston]

JNMAR-
Good job trying to give folks that volunteer their time to help others a bad name.

On the Op, did you get a plate number?

No. Kind of upset at myself that I didn't. It rattled me a little and he was out of there in a hurry before I thought about it.
I was also in this "whew... I didn't get pulled over" moment as opposed to thinking it all through and realizing what a jerk he was being.

[PappaGun]

Makes me wonder if this is his personal car set up something like a real car.
Maybe he owns a used cruiser and likes to intimidate with it.
Maybe on his way to or from work.
The fact that he rolled down his window and yelled at you does not speak well for him or his department.
I'd bet a hundred bucks this isn't the first time he's done this and that by now it's a routine of his.
Too bad you didn't get plate.
He needs some discipline.
Could have been mall cop wannabe with a really impressive uniform.

[steveincowtown]

Even though they have decriminalized it, this is exactly why there should be no requirement to display CHL when pulled over. Imagine this scenario, fake copy pulls you over, you turn over CHL and DL, he asks to hold the weapon during the stop, you turn over your weapon. Fake cop now has a gun.

IMHO, unless you are 100% sure it is a cop you should always call 911. If you are on a busy freeway/interstate you should always find a safe, bright, public place to pull over, even if that means you have to exit into a gas station, rest stop, etc. Unfortunately 3 of the last 6 of Fort Worth's finest were killed due to being struck by cars. It kills me when I see LEO's running radar from the median of a busy highway, and then waving people down onto the center shoulder.

[Jasonw560]

Cop cars have the "Texas Exempt" plates on them.

[Scott in Houston]

Makes me wonder if this is his personal car set up something like a real car.
Maybe he owns a used cruiser and likes to intimidate with it.
Maybe on his way to or from work.
The fact that he rolled down his window and yelled at you does not speak well for him or his department.
I'd bet a hundred bucks this isn't the first time he's done this and that by now it's a routine of his.
Too bad you didn't get plate.
He needs some discipline.
Could have been mall cop wannabe with a really impressive uniform.

It definitely looked like a personal car. It wasn't in any condition to be a city/county car. It didn't even look like a typical cruiser (crown vic or other). It was a run down Chrysler piece of garbage.

I'm guessing it's his normal M.O. too. The uniform sure looked nice, but it definitely wasn't HPD. It was dark and could have been Harris County Sheriff or something... but it could have also been a really nice security thing too. But having the red & blue lights would be illegal in that case, right? Wish I had the plate... grr...

[Ameer]

It's too bad you didn't call 911 to report his reckless driving. Are you sure he wasn't drunk?

[carlson1]

Cop cars have the "Texas Exempt" plates on them.

Not all of them. There are several State Leo unmarked that do not use exempt plates.