# Question about license plates



## Guest (Apr 17, 2011)

I have been told by a friend that any sort of unmarked police vehicle will have a commercial plate.

1. Is this true

and

2. Is there a definitive way to determine a real unmarked versus a renegading whacker? I moved over the other day for what I thought was a real police vehicle, only to see it was some moron tailgating everyone to get by.


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## firefighter39 (Apr 10, 2006)

the officer MUST wear his hat at all times to be fully able to utilize his police authority! (NB: the term cover, lid, chapeau are all exceptable alternatives for the term hat in this case)


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## BrickCop (Dec 23, 2004)

License plates are no indicator as there is only one way to know for certain. Carefully scrape off any road grime from the rear passenger wheel well area. If you look carefuly you'll see an 'UNMARKED POLICE VEHICLE' etching. Please do not disclose this to unauthorized personnel or others who do not possess a 'need to know' status.


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)

newguy44 said:


> I have been told by a friend that any sort of unmarked police vehicle will have a commercial plate.


This isn't true at all. All unmarked police cars have distinct features on both the vehicle and the license plates. Brickcop has pointed out one of these features, the others are the overall length of the plate is about 1/8 inch smaller than regular registry issued plates. There is also a hologram on plates issued to unmarked police cars. It has the seal of the commonwealth with "unmarked" under the seal.


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## DNorth (Jun 6, 2008)




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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

Every commercially registered vehicle on the road is a Police Unmarked. We simply let different businesses borrow these vehicles while they aren't in use by us. I recently had to deliver my 2.5 ton dump truck to a landscaping company. I had to take all the blue lights out of it. It was a serious pain in the ass. I want that truck back really soon too. Nothing corners like that bad boy.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2011)

Mayer Lantigua thinks they look like a Ford Focus, if operated by a white male. 

Sent from my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk.


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## OP417 (Apr 17, 2011)

Hi guys.

Original poster here. I made an account so I could reply. While I can appreciate some humor as much as the next guy, why have an "ask a cop" forum section if the responses are just going to be facetious?

I don't know anybody in LE, so I thought this would be the place to ask. Sorry if you interpreted my question as too stupid to be serious, as my intention was not to troll. I'm not a "whacker" or an impersonator, just a civilian who would like to know how to distinguish between people like this guy and a real cruiser. To me, that car looked identical to a cruiser. I would not be able to tell the difference, even up close.

So far, the only thing I've gathered from browsing is something the user "Hush" noted on that same topic with the photo. He said the vehicle had some mud and dirt on it, which would not be likely on a real cruiser.

All in all, I'm just genuinely curious. I've seen newer model Fords with visible strobes in the rear window, but who is to say they're blue? Is there a way to tell if it's a police-issued vehicle versus some other kind of state vehicle? Also, the last thing I want is for some failed mall security guard to "pull over" my girlfriend or sister because he's deranged and thinks he's somehow doing his "job" (or worse intentions).

So, that's why I was wondering if there are some tell-tale signs that can be observed. I thought the commercial plate thing I heard from my friend was bogus, but just wanted to check.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

The whole point of an unmarked Police vehicle for the most part, is to make it less conspicuos to people. If you were to know what my PD utilizes as cruisers you'd be highly surprised.


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

Bottom line is there really is no way to really "know". We use different vehicles for different purposes. I'm assuming you mean like a painted over cruiser? If you aren't doing anything wrong while driving, you need not pull over to let them pass.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)




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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

OP417 said:


> Hi guys.
> 
> Original poster here. I made an account so I could reply. While I can appreciate some humor as much as the next guy, why have an "ask a cop" forum section if the responses are just going to be facetious?
> 
> ...


As a general rule, if someone looks like they're trying to look like they're driving an unmarked cruiser (mounted spotlight, push bar), then they're probably a whacker driving a retired cruiser. The only agency I know of that deploys unmarked cruisers with all the accessories (spotlight, pushbar, cage) is the MSP, and every one I've seen has the MSP license plate (CLUE).


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

I love watching a beater CV come flying up the left lane and seeing all the cars get out of its way. Then it gets close and you can see the cracked grill, the holes where lights were removed, the goofy driver. They don't seem to like it when you act aggressively towards them, slam on the brakes, or give them a few swerves. Sorry, I see right through you.

The opposite is when a marked bluebird comes flying up behind someone in the left lane and instead of moving over and motoring on they freeze up and slow down to the speed limit with the trooper 2 feet off their bumper. They get all kinds of warnings: flashing headlights, warning chirp, quick flash of the blues, and they still refuse to move over. Hilarious when it eventually earns them a stop.

---------- Post added at 21:17 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

Missed the above reply, yes a dirty car is a dead giveaway youre not dealing with the real deal.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

Hush said:


> I love watching a beater CV come flying up the left lane and seeing all the cars get out of its way. Then it gets close and you can see the cracked grill, the holes where lights were removed, the goofy driver. They don't seem to like it when you act aggressively towards them, slam on the brakes, or give them a few swerves. Sorry, I see right through you.
> 
> The opposite is when a marked bluebird comes flying up behind someone in the left lane and instead of moving over and motoring on they freeze up and slow down to the speed limit with the trooper 2 feet off their bumper. They get all kinds of warnings: flashing headlights, warning chirp, quick flash of the blues, and they still refuse to move over. Hilarious when it eventually earns them a stop.
> 
> ...


You need to drive through a larger PD's jurisdiction, i.e. Boston. You will quickly retire that theory.:wink_smile:


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## Killjoy (Jun 23, 2003)

Why would police officers tell you anything to out unmarked cruisers?

And undercover officers _have _to tell you their cops if you ask the directly!


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

263FPD said:


> You need to drive through a larger PD's jurisdiction, i.e. Boston. You will quickly retire that theory.:wink_smile:


I was referring more to MSP vehicles, but Ive seen some beaters out there both marked and unmarked. There are definitely a few telltale signs of whackers, but Ive found dirt and grime are usually the giveaways.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

I was in Lawrence a few years back and seen at least one fully marked car with several bullet holes in it.

Our unmarked cars remain in service for quite some time. A couple of them have seen better days. I would say that out marked CV's are for most part stay regularly washed during most of the year save for really shitty weeks of winter.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

OP417 said:


> the last thing I want is for some failed mall security guard to "pull over" my girlfriend or sister because he's deranged and thinks he's somehow doing his "job" (or worse intentions).


This is the advice that I was given, if you are being pulled over and you have reason to question whether or not it is a legitimate unmarked cruiser; then, put your directional on, pull to the right, slow down and call 911 and ask. But as far as what the cars look like, no one is going to tell you. I worked with a kid who got pulled over by an unmarked that according to him looked like a typical pos driven by a kid. He didn't realize it was an unmarked until he was being handed a ticket for driving like an ass.


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