Odessa, Texas: Pulled Over By Suspicious Vehicle

The Odessa Police Department says if you're pulled over by a suspicious vehicle with flashing lights, there are a couple of options to keep you safe.

Cpl. Steve LeSueur, with the Odessa Police Department, said, "Do not stop. Especially if he gets out of the vehicle and you can see he's not in uniform and he doesn't have a badge.

You can drive to the police station, call 911 to verify the stop to make sure it's legit."

Apr 15, 2015 - Man Impersonating Odessa Police Officer

-
OPINIONs-n-OBSERVATIONs:

What I really like about this video is it shows ...

the (agreeable?)-Opinions-n-Reactions from ... Races-of-Folks.

ADDITIONALLY:

Can You " Spot Suspicious Activity " In Your Town?

AND

I can't resist including the following video:
.

Pretty sure if you don't stop when an officer puts his lights on in 'murka, you've just forfeited your life.

Good luck to anyone who makes that judgement call.

a reply to: lordcomac

Incorrect.

I had that happen to me once in Florida. It was an off-duty cop that was pissed because I cut him off. I drove to the substation near my house, when I stopped I was confronted by four very angry cops. When I explained my reasoning they all settled down. I mean Christ this Yahoo was in an old beat up pick up truck that had blue lights in the grill.

On a sidenote I've read a few instances where sexual predators were using that tactic to assault women.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

That is an old story.

But I had an experience that I won't forget. In 1995, I was working in Indiana, but lived in a town in Ohio close to Indiana. As we were going to work, it was my husband, his sister and I, I was driving and as we were crossing the state line, we were stopped by what looked like a state highway worker. There was no highway truck and only an Ohio state trooper actually parked on the Indiana side, facing Ohio.

When the highway worker came to my window and asked for our purpose in driving to Indiana, I replied that we worked there. Then he asked my for my ID and I asked why. He said that the state trooper would make me, at that time the trooper flashed his overhead lights.

The problem I had with this was the highway worker had no truck. The trooper didn't ask for ID, and the trooper was sitting across the state line. Legally he wasn't chasing anyone, so he had no business being there.

After I got to work, other people from Ohio said that they had also been stopped on other highways and roads going into Indiana.

This happened in broad daylight about 1:15 in the afternoon. Whatever was going on, the Ohio state trooper was using the highway department, or so the guy was dressed like, to harass people on their way to work. I don't think it had anything with security or trying to catch someone, because the Indiana State police were not there.

a reply to: Greathouse

Yes, that is an old story.

I wrote a short film about that very thing.

Remember the story about the lady that dialed 911 to see if it was a legit cop behind her? It was and she still didn't stop.

She was trying to get out of a crime, but thats a good idea, 911 answers quick and can confirm a police car in trail, I say again… in trail.

a reply to: Greathouse

We had a rash of these in my area. Straight robberies or car jacking mostly. The perps never last long, they get real predictable real quick. They were good tho, or so I heard. Reasonable uniforms and lights that prevented a good look at the vehicle.

Of course, I have heard about the roadside vendors here being robbed by the real cops too, in a real squad car. They were back the next day too, to let the poor guy (sells fish on side of road) know that any further attempts to report the crime would make everyone very sad. Except him, he wouldn't feel anything ever again.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

Good find. Thanks for sharing. This could possibly save some lives.

Calling 911 is the easiest means to verify the authenticity of any stop by an unmarked. It's also the quickest means of getting an actual officer en route, should the person trying to stop you turn out to be illegitimate.

And really, must we relate everything to Jade freaking Helm? Seriously?

I had a late night incident in Texas on a different stretch of road involving a suspicious vehicle. Usually as soon as lights go on behind me I'm an immediate pull over to the side type, but something wasn't right about the whole thing that night...and unbeknownst to me I had just left the city limits so there was no hope of a lit and populated area.

Turns out it was a legitimate officer, and I got a week in the local jail and $6000 in total fines and court costs for "evading arrest" with an adjudicated probation and charges dropped upon completion.

I was upset at the time, but in hindsight, I'm glad I didn't pull over for a vehicle that may have ended with me beaten, raped, carjacked and/or dead. Turns out this was a stretch of road where another impersonator was doing just that to solo females.

Better safe than dead.

a reply to: lordcomac

That was exactly my first thought too...we are certainly between a rock and jackboot---lol

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I lived in Texas a couple of times for 4 year stretches. I for one would not want to get pulled over as it seems to be a lottery of sorts as to what type of cop you are going to get. I worked with the ACLU in Texas and I do believe it is the most dangerous state for drivers getting pulled over. I remember a couple of news stories about men impersonating police and extorting or robbing drivers. What part of Texas were you stopped? With the amount of fines and jail time I'm guessing Williamson County.

a reply to: Witness2008

WIlliamson is a county one best mind manners and protocol in, for sure. But no, this was further up the road North of Dallas. Hopkins. The reason for the pull over was benign, my license plate bulb had burnt out and it was initially a courtesy check. The vehicle was ATF and that's why I didn't recognize the protocol or the light/vehicle visual. When I didn't pull over, they thought I was up to no good because that country used to have a huge problem with hardcore drug trafficking and the "worst case scenario" kicked in with the officer behind me.

It was just wrong place wrong time wrong everything that night. But it wasn't as bad as what I've dealt with in Williamson with an overzealous younger officer a year or two prior (we won't go there), so I'm counting my blessings.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I worked the appellate side of things in Williamson county. I have zero desire to ever return to that state. My last couple of visits I couldn't help but feel that I was pushing my luck.

Better times, and clearer skies ahead.

a reply to: Witness2008

Yea I am getting tired of Texas time to find a new place I'm thinking Colorado sounds nice. Plus all my x's lives in Texas. .

a reply to: FarleyWayne

Wow...I guess they really do want people to get shot by the police...don't stop...omg

originally posted by: TechniXcality
a reply to: Witness2008

Yea I am getting tired of Texas time to find a new place I'm thinking Colorado sounds nice. Plus all my x's lives in Texas. .

Can't ignore this. How many X's do you have?

Colorado may feel like a whole other dimension compared to Texas.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Was it a city cop that pulled you over? Did they flash their lights AFTER you left the city limits?

Sometimes they go beyond their jurisdictions also, but they claim they can if they are in hot pursuit, but usually they call another jurisdiction to pick it up.

What was the original reason for wanting you to stop?

a reply to: WarminIndy

It was an ATF vehicle. That why I didn't recognize it. Big white SUV Escalade, I think he was just trying to help let me know my bulb had blown or fuse went out and when I didn't pull over for the grill lights and kept going for a lighted populated area he called in the Sheriff. I was so freaked out and scared I ran right over the tire-blow-out strip even when I saw the two legitimate officers rolling it out.

Maintained proper 55 mph the whole time until I saw the strip, then slowed so as not to wreck out. Had a classic car back then and didn't want to hurt it. Tires can be replaced more so than body work. Plus I felt a little safer once I saw official State Troopers. Still, I've never had an encounter like that before in all my years. Might have been a lot of things going on with the Patriot Act and/or local dealings. Dunno.

But yes. I had just left the city limits when the lights came on. I thought the SUV behind me was just another civilian until the whole thing was explained to me during booking. The officer who took me in even asked if I was on drugs. I wasn't. It's ok though, they were nice during my time in the joint and the soup was awesome.

All good. Just still gotta clear up some paperwork that didn't translate over to my home county in another state and then I'm good to go with voting again. Somewhere paperwork got glitched in the system and I'm still listed as a felon in my current state. Just have to send a letter requesting clarification documents and all is good.

No worries.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
a reply to: WarminIndy

It was an ATF vehicle. That why I didn't recognize it. Big white SUV Escalade, I think he was just trying to help let me know my bulb had blown or fuse went out and when I didn't pull over for the grill lights and kept going for a lighted populated area he called in the Sheriff. I was so freaked out and scared I ran right over the tire-blow-out strip even when I saw the two legitimate officers rolling it out.

Maintained proper 55 mph the whole time until I saw the strip, then slowed so as not to wreck out. Had a classic car back then and didn't want to hurt it. Tires can be replaced more so than body work. Plus I felt a little safer once I saw official State Troopers. Still, I've never had an encounter like that before in all my years. Might have been a lot of things going on with the Patriot Act and/or local dealings. Dunno.

But yes. I had just left the city limits when the lights came on. I thought the SUV behind me was just another civilian until the whole thing was explained to me during booking. The officer who took me in even asked if I was on drugs. I wasn't. It's ok though, they were nice during my time in the joint and the soup was awesome.

All good. Just still gotta clear up some paperwork that didn't translate over to my home county in another state and then I'm good to go with voting again. Somewhere paperwork got glitched in the system and I'm still listed as a felon in my current state. Just have to send a letter requesting clarification documents and all is good.

No worries.

Oh my goodness. Are you Native American, by any chance?

ATF following you to let you know your lights are out and then tire strips?

Wow, that was some experience. I hope you get it straightened out soon, because ATF doesn't usually follow people to pull them over. You would think after the Branch Davidian debacle, ATF wouldn't be following people.

You are the first person I ever heard of that ATF was just randomly following. All I can say is wow. Some experience.