LEO Impersonator in Maury Co.

[glowdotGlock]

I had read this story a couple of weeks ago when it first hapened but it looks as if they are at it again. I just met with an old deputy friend of mine in Columbia who is running for my district county commisioner to sign his petition and he says they are pretty certain they know who it is and are waiting for them to slip up again. That is if the right citizen doesn't take care of them first. http://www.wkrn.com/story/24674380/police-impersonator-strikes-third-time-in-maury-county

[glowdotGlock]

Here is the original story. http://www.wkrn.com/story/24631828/police-impersonator-in-maury-county

[buck1032]

That's pretty crazy. I have always assumed that unless its a marked car I would not stop. With the prevalence of cell phones these days, if an unmarked lights me up I will call 911, ID myself and describe the situation and ask for direction from there. Perhaps some of our LEO's could offer some guidance here.

Glowdot, I see you are either now or in the past a LEO, what are your thoughts?

[glowdotGlock]

I know that in Maury county that not many unmarked units are used in traffic stops especially during this time. I wouldn't stop for anything that doesn't have a full lightbar on top of a marked unit. At night they will put the spotlight through your rear window. If you do suspect something is wrong do not try to outrun the vehicle. Put on your flashers and call 911. They will contact the PD or SO and know in a matter of seconds if it is legitimate.

[billyscott]

I'd like to see some input from those with LE experience. 

Like to know what to tell my daughter to do. 

[Tncobra]

Officers who drive unmarked cars expect drivers not to stop until they are in a populated place or well lit. Continuing speed limit with flashers on is fine.

That being said, unmarked officer usually wait for those places to pull you over. Unless backed up by a marked unit or it is emergency enough to light you up there.

[DaveTN]

I'd like to see some input from those with LE experience. 
Like to know what to tell my daughter to do.

Make sure your daughter always has a cell phone and as the others have said slow to a safe speed, turn on your hazards, call 911, try to remain calm and talk to the dispatcher. Officers (marked or unmarked) making stops on unpopulated or unlit roads where you can’t obviously tell who they are, are not going to have a problem with you driving to a well-lit or populated area.

Two victims can ID this driver and the car. If they are from around here it won’t be long before they are in jail; especially with a car like that.

[TMF]

There was one in Clarksville last year who had pulled over a few. They caught him in short order. He was targeting women, of course.


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[DaveS]

There was one in Clarksville last year who had pulled over a few. They caught him in short order. He was targeting women, of course.


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There are also cases here where these women were afraid to stop until they got to a well lit area to stop, and were arrested and charged for failure to stop! They had to pay fines for that. If all this info is going to be put out about driving to a safe area, LEO's need informed of that as well. It's already been said but a 911 call and 4 way flashers should help.

 

Dave

[TMF]

There are also cases here where these women were afraid to stop until they got to a well lit area to stop, and were arrested and charged for failure to stop! They had to pay fines for that. If all this info is going to be put out about driving to a safe area, LEO's need informed of that as well. It's already been said but a 911 call and 4 way flashers should help.

 

Dave

 

I'm sure that happens, but I haven't seen that myself.  Growing up I lived out in the country at least 15 miles from the nearest town.  The area was extremely rural.  Our father was a cop and advised my sister, when she started driving, to continue driving with her flashers on until she reached a well lit area with other people.  She worked at a fast food place in town, so during the summer and on weekends she would be driving home in the middle of the night.  This is before the age of cell phones, so I assumed that it was common for police officers to encounter this, especially in rural areas.  No one wants their daughter pulling over on a rural country road at night because someone flashed a blue light that can be bought for 30 bucks.  There's a lot of raped/murdered women out there who didn't have anyone to tell them better. 

 

Any cop that would issue a citation or have a problem with a female waiting to pull over at a well lit/populated area can suck start his side arm, as far as I'm concerned.

[DaveTN]

There are also cases here where these women were afraid to stop until they got to a well lit area to stop, and were arrested and charged for failure to stop! They had to pay fines for that. If all this info is going to be put out about driving to a safe area, LEO's need informed of that as well. It's already been said but a 911 call and 4 way flashers should help.
 
Dave

You know of a case where that happened and the court upheld it?
Nothing is impossible, but I would guess the chances of that happening are nearly impossible.

[Lumber_Jack]

You know of a case where that happened and the court upheld it?
Nothing is impossible, but I would guess the chances of that happening are nearly impossible.

 

I would assume even the lowliest public defender could get that charge dismissed

[45guy]

I would assume even the lowliest public defender could get that charge dismissed

By then the damage has been done. The court of public opinion has already found them guilty. I have seen cases where the accused is plastered all over the news, but very little is said when the charges are dropped or reduced. The newspapers around here seem to be the propaganda arm of LE. They may not have a criminal record but it will still be very expensive.

[Lumber_Jack]

[quote name="45guy" post="1108820" timestamp="1392053830"]By then the damage has been done. The court of public opinion has already found them guilty. I have seen cases where the accused is plastered all over the news, but very little is said when the charges are dropped or reduced. The newspapers around here seem to be the propaganda arm of LE. They may not have a criminal record but it will still be very expensive.[/quote] I understand that but public opinion doesn't count for much in my book. I don't agree with the arresting of a person for driving to a public place. But if you just pay the fines, that's your fault.

[Smith]

How hard is it to run a registration search on a pretty specific new model car like that Camero and find the guy in short order?

[KKing]

[quote name="Smith" post="1108834" timestamp="1392055562"]How hard is it to run a registration search on a pretty specific new model car like that Camero and find the guy in short order?[/quote] Wondered this myself, especially since I'm a Maury Co. resident. It's a small county, neighbored by even smaller counties. I'd be willing to bet if they were able to run registrations on Maury and neighboring counties there wouldn't be more than 10 yellow Camaros. I could be wrong, but it would at least be a start. Although, they don't deserve to be caught by the police. They deserve to pull over the wrong person, an armed citizen. That may be wrong of me, but the time these guys will serve when caught will be laughable I'm sure Edited February 10, 2014 by KKing

[DaveTN]

By then the damage has been done. The court of public opinion has already found them guilty. I have seen cases where the accused is plastered all over the news, but very little is said when the charges are dropped or reduced. The newspapers around here seem to be the propaganda arm of LE. They may not have a criminal record but it will still be very expensive.

“Court of Public opinion”, “Plastered all over the news” for a failure to yield ticket?

[Joseg]

Let's just hope he doesn't stop an off duty LEO on his little I'm a LEO trip

[JayC]

There is virtually no reason for the police to do stops with unmarked vehicles...  Maury County Sheriff should make an announcement tomorrow that his deputies will never pull somebody over for a traffic violation in an unmarked car.  Any attempt to pull a vehicle over without a marked unit in support should be assumed to be an impersonator.

 

There just isn't enough reason to have 'under cover' officers in plain clothes performing traffic enforcement in any TN county to offset the risk.

[tnguy]

The drug taskforce vehicles that sit on 40 are unmarked. I have no idea why this is.

[bersaguy]

How hard is it to run a registration search on a pretty specific new model car like that Camero and find the guy in short order?

 

Yea well, I don't see myself pulling over for a bright yellow Camaro just because it has Blue and red lights flashing on it to begin with unless I am in the middle of town with people everywhere. This ain't Hollywood and Hawaii Five O were they drive Camaros and then they don't drive bright Yellow ones even then...........jmho

[DaveS]

You know of a case where that happened and the court upheld it?
Nothing is impossible, but I would guess the chances of that happening are nearly impossible.

I don't know if it upheld or not. I only know the arrest that was made as per our newspaper. That's all I know. Don't know the outcome in court.

 

Dave

[Dustbuster]

Was it this guy ?




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[tnguy]

He's finding it hard to make ends meet. The work's not coming in like it used to. (The vic misidentified the car BTW).
 

 

[dralarms]

Omg, where did you dig up that fossil?