Is there a rule for unmarked vehicles?

[Magzilla]

I'm just curious and thought I'd ask this question.

While cruising down I-94 today the wife and I watched a PT Cruiser pulling over another vehicle. This PT Cruiser looked no different than a stock vehicle. In fact it had chrome wheels and what appeared to be tinted windows in the back which I think is stock for the vehicle. The lights were the only thing that made it look like a Police vehicle. There wasn't a mark on the vehicle that would indicate it was a Police unit including the lack of flood lights. Usually, you can spot an unmarked car by the flood lights or black stock steel wheels of some sort. The red/blue lights were in the grill, upper window/visor area and rear lights in the windows along with the usual strobing head and tail lights. Before the lights went on it looked like Joe Pubic's vehicle.

Now, I have no issue with any of this but, my wife said to me "There is no way in hell I would have pulled over for that vehicle". To her (and I would agree) it looked nothing even remotely like a Police vehicle and she said she would not feel safe stopping for such an unmarked vehicle.

Is there any requirement for unmarked Police vehicles to have some kind of marking so, the public knows who is pulling them over? Just curious!

[XDONBOARD]

in arizona we have all types of unmarked cars pt cruisers, lifted trucks, sports cars!!! Craziness!

[jtkratzer]

As much as I don't like getting pulled over, I think the departments who drive around in the standard "unmarked" car are a waste of tax dollars. They're easily spotted and people change how they drive when they know a police officer is around. It's just like the officer checking speeds that sits out in the open where you can see him from 2 miles away.

I'm all for completely stock vehicles used for traffic patrolling. I'd definitely want to see ID before I put my window down though. The other thing that gives officers away is the license plate.

I saw a good setup the other day...an officer was parked on the side of a bridge and aiming cars up on the highway below. I barely saw him and I feel I'm quite observant while driving.

[BillSXT2002]

State laws vary. Unmarked cars in Ohio can;t be engaged PRIMARILY in traffic enforcement.

[Druac]

But in California they started using the white CHP cars...harder to spot than the black & whites, but they are 'marked'.

[jeepinbanditrider]

We have a local unmarked Chevy Impala that patrols the surrounding high traffic roads (HWY.258/24 HWY 17, ECT.) writing tickets like it's going out of style.

Looks like a bone stock Impala with the painted hub caps over black steel wheels and all. IIRC it even has freakin regular state tags on it. No govie tags.

And this is the only thing I have ever seen this car do is pull others over and write tickets.

[NWXD40]

my friend is a port of seattle leo. He drives a issue Chrysler 300.lights are in the grill and in the sun visors.

[Magzilla]

Again, I have no issue with it but, some time ago here in Michigan there were a few instances of women being pulled over by who they thought were the Police only later to find it was somone posing as a Police Officer. I don't recall if they ever found out who it was but, this is why my wife was concerned about the lack of markings and basic "stock" appearance of the vehicle.

[jeepinbanditrider]

If you get nervous you can crack the window and explain to the officer you are nervous about being stopped by an unmarked car and would like to be escorted to the closest gas station or shopping mall or something like that. If they have a problem with that then you might want to get suspicious and call the local PD and see if they have can tell you if they have an officer currently in your area with someone pulled over.

[DCSOXD40]

Here in Nahville we have Nissan Titans, Nissan Altimas, Impala SS', and several other unmarked vehicles. All of which are factory on the outside and have regular plates. They also come in a host of colors from the Charcoal Titan to the light blue Altima. They have absolutely no visible LEO markings on the outter. Here they are part of the Agressive Driving Task Force and are very active in regular traffic patrolling. The THP has several unmarked vehicles and those guys carry several different plates from surrounding states with them and switch them often. I didn't believe it till I saw a Dodge Ram with Florida plates, driven by a THP trooper stopping a vehicle on the interstate. Pretty interesting stuff.