Strange Encounter With Law Enforcement

(Mods, if this is in the wrong forum, please move it somewhere more appropriate)

This evening I had an encounter with some sort of law enforcement officer, though I do not know who he was working for. Perhaps my fellow ATS members can help me identify who I was dealing with.

I was riding in my friend's car when we were pulled over by an unmarked black Ford Explorer, red and blue lights in the grill. The officer who approached us was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. He did not have the typical belt cops wear in Louisville, but only a firearm on his hip and a walkie-talkie in his back pocket. The gun did not look like the same gun issued to police in the city. On his wrist was a wide, neon-green plastic band, with two letters. The first letter was a "M"; the second letter may have been a "P" but I did not get a good enough look at it to be sure. This officer told my friend he pulled him over for failing to use a turn-signal in a turning lane. This was odd in and of itself; it is a running joke that Louisville drivers don't know how to use their turn-signals. The officer took our IDs, then returned to his vehicle to run them. While we waited, another black SUV showed up, the driver got out to talk to the officer. He was wearing the same sort of set-up. The officer came back, returned our IDs and thanked us without saying anything else and went back to his car. No warning or ticket was issued.

Afterwards, my friend and I were kicking ourselves for not asking for a badge or checking the plates on the vehicles. It does say something that we just assumed someone with lights and an air of authority convinced us he was a cop without either of us checking to be sure.

So, who was I dealing with tonight? Something tells me this was not a run of the mill cop.

Sounds to me like a standard unmarked car - the type they use in drug stings. In Atlanta these are fairly common and are almost always black SUVs or pick-up trucks.

Well MP generally means its Military Police, were you on or near a Military Installation? Other then under special circumstances, MP’s normally do not have jurisdiction off a base. Other then that, you would be surprised at the amount of various Law Enforcement Officers there are beyond your normal PD, Sheriff Department, and State troopers.

reply to post by defcon5


More likely the MP stands for Louisville Metro Police. Interesting story OP. I thought police officers had to display their baddges at all times. That certainly doesn't apply to "undercover" officers, but what are undercovers doing pulling over people for minor traffic violations?

Here in San Antonio the Dept of Homeland Security have their own police vehicles and unmarkeds... I think you may have run afoul of some other op that a federal agency was running and got checked to make sure you weren't part of the op's target.

You might want to contact local law enforcement and file a report with them. Whoever that was now has your info like address and name and might be planning on robbing your house. Hey you never know? Better to be safe than sorry. Plus the authorities would be able to find out who was working in that area, if it was a cop. Think of the bad scenario if you were two hot chicks alone and that wasn't a cop!!!

Perhaps you "fit the description of a person of interest we were looking for"...



The good news is you were let go.

Perhaps the MP green band was a wristband from a nightclub.

Guy probably stole your identity.

reply to post by defcon5


No way an MP would be wearing shorts and a t-shirt though..

Or be off a military base.

Sounds like gang task-force or vice cops.

They like to stop curtain vehicles that meet there criteria as drug dealers cars.

Once they saw the people in the car and they did not fit the profile they just let you go.

Cops do this all the time.

Sounds like gang task-force or vice cops.

They like to stop curtain vehicles that meet there criteria as drug dealers cars.

Once they saw the people in the car and they did not fit the profile they just let you go.

Cops do this all the time.

reply to post by Miraj


Actually I have known MP’s who have worked off base. They sometimes are asked to work at special events, they move military convoys, patrol duel use areas, work on VA property, etc… So its not as far-fetched as it would first appear.

As to the attire, I find nothing unusual about it. Florida police dress in an assortment of different uniforms including fatigue bottoms with tee shirts, jumpsuits, shorts and tee shirts, and even civilian clothing.

However, if Louisville uses the word “Metro” in their force name, that that is most likely the correct answer.

I would definitely contact your local police and report the incident. If it was an actual stop, then it would have been logged. If not, then you need to get it reported as soon as possible both for your safety and the safety of others who may be victimized.

The dudes who were never properly identified at the Pittsburgh g20 wore wristbands of some kind.
I had a you tube sub who was pulled over by similar vehicles. He made a vid about it asking the same questions you have. He assumed they were targeting him specifically.
I will search for that vid, he probably had some good comments if it is still there. peace.

Originally posted by METACOMET
More likely the MP stands for Louisville Metro Police.

The police department in Louisville goes by LMPD, the wrist-band only had two letters.

Originally posted by METACOMET
That certainly doesn't apply to "undercover" officers, but what are undercovers doing pulling over people for minor traffic violations?

As others have mentioned on the thread, we thought they may have been vice or narcotics officers but why would they be pulling over people for traffic violations? Of course, as someone else mentioned, maybe they were looking for a make-and-model of car similar to my friend's.

so your friend was pulled over for a supposed traffic violation and they "officer" needed to see YOUR ID as well? I'd have flat out refused to show it to him since you weren't driving and therefore did nothing wrong.

you should look into this because it seems like that guy took your info for no good reason. But maybe I'm wrong and cops can ask for everyone's ID in the car for a turn signal violation. and then they didn't even ticket the driver...weird

Even in Canada, where you ALWAYS get asked for ID and Drivers' license if you get pulled over, it is EXTREMELY rare for cops to ID passengers.

I'd agree with others - ask for a copy of the police report on this. If they were police, they may have dashboard camera footage of the pull over as well.

I've only gotten ID'd ONCE as a passenger in a car, but it was pretty suspicious circumstances so I didn't begrudge giving my ID to the cop. It was all above board, but could have looked weird to a passer by. At least it was a MARKED RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) car though and an officer in full uniform.

In the area I live in they always ask everybody in the car for ID during a traffic stop. They also go through the process of checking for wants and warrants on everyone in the vehicle. I honestly don't know how long ago they began doing this, but it's been this way for a very long time.

Sounds like you unknowingly passed an scene where an undercover/plainclothes situation had or was unfolding and they pulled you over on a minor violation to see if you where who they were looking for.

Standard Operating Procedures for the Louisville Metro Police Department
www.louisvilleky.gov...

4.28.5 IDENTIFICATION (CALEA 22.2.7a)
Departmentally-issued wristbands shall be used at the scene of an incident to assist in the identification of
plainclothes officers to other responding officers or civilians.

The wristbands shall be used when plainclothes officers become involved in a situation where officer identification is likely to be a problem and where its use will not compromise a covert operation. When responding to a crime scene or incident in which the possibility of danger exists, plainclothes officers shall affix their reflective LMPD wristband to their shooting wrist. This should be done prior to taking any police action, if practical.

Situations where a plainclothes officer’s identification may be more critical include, but are not limited to:
• Responding to a scene outside the division to which the officer is assigned.
• Responding to a scene outside the normal working hours of the officer.
• Responding to a scene at night or at other times of reduced visibility.
• Responding to a scene where officers from other divisions or units may be present.
• Responding to a scene where officers from allied agencies may be present.
• Any time the plainclothes officer feels other officers may not easily recognize him/her by sight.

reply to post by maybereal11


Thank you very much, that clears up things a bit.