Imposter LEOs in Florida.

[threefivesevenmag]

This is very preliminary and heard through my mother-in-law down in Florida. She lives in the central part of the state. Apparently, several incidents have occured recently that I thought I should post, not for warning, but thought.

Several men have been pulled over in her area by "police officers" in unmarked cars. After they are pulled over, the men are attacked and drugged by the officers, who are imposters. After they are drugged they are beaten very badly and raped multiple times. I believe there has been at least three incidents. Two men have survived. They were left in a wooded area, not near cities. Supposedly one victim, a boy, was found dead in a trunk.

I guess, the moral is, if you feel you are being pulled over by an imposter, call 911 yourself and check the officer's badge number. The chances of this occuring aren't very high, but I felt since this was happening to men, not just women, and the violent nature of the crime, it was a good thing just to think about when ever pulled over.

I figure a real LEO would understand your concern, particularly with such incidents happening close to home.

[Doug.38PR]

OMGosh! This would put one on THIN ice, but IF I SUSPECTED SUCH A THING in addition to calling 911 I would have my holster unsnapped and WOULD NOT comply with getting out of the car or anything until I confirmed their badge numbers. If they saw my CHL license (or in Texas I had to show it to them) I would not give up my gun and might very well even pull my gun and have a standoff with them and wait 'till another REAL cop showed up or was called to straighten it out or until I got confirmation of their badge numbers if I suspected any such thing.
If anyone considers this dangerous, they are right. If anyone thinks this illegal or threatening an officer (if that is who it is. Police themselves draw their weapons on suspicious potentially dangerous men, why should anybody else take any fewer precautions) I would rather take my chances in court or even go to jail than surrender to what you just described (There is not a smilie?? face I can insert in this space to reflect the serious expression on my face as I type this)
Granted this odds of any of this ever occuring while pulled over are highly improbable, but just the thought sends a chill through my spine.

Giving this a little more thought, another (and even safer option if available) option would be to take off in your car after they have pulled you over and lead them on a chase (if they chase you) to the nearest police station or marked police car you spot.

[Topthis]

Anyone have an article on this stuff??

[axslingerW]

I have never been stopped by an unmarked car, but I think driving to a safe busy place before stopping would be the best course of action. I live in a heavily populated area though. In the rural areas that I frequent (NE Arkansas) I know all of the local and county police. I don't know what course of action I would take in an unfamiliar place.

[BillCA]

More red-light rapists - old story, but they usually prey on women. Can anyone validate this is really happening?

We're assuming the car isn't a fully marked unit with roof lights, spotlights, push-bars, etc. Maybe it looks like a Ford Taurus with lights in the grille or one behind the windshield.

1. Move to the right to let the emergency vehicle pass, if necessary.
2. If he follows you right continue moving. If it's not a well marked unit with a light-bar and loud siren, keep moving at 10-20 mph.
3. Get on your cell phone to the local PD or highway patrol. Tell them you suspect it's a phony cop. Give a description of the car. Tell them your location, direction of travel. Also tell them any plans you have for direction (like circling the block). Tell them you want to see a unit with roof lights before pulling over.
4. Make a turn onto a known street and watch to see if there are markings on the doors/fenders that identify the unit. Just because there is some kind of marking doesn't mean it's a real cop (i.e. stolen security vehicle or magnetic decals).
5. Until confirmed as real cops, keep moving but watch your driving too. You don't want to get into an accident. Nor get yourself caught in traffic at an intersection if you can avoid it.
6. Be alert for a cut-off maneuver near driveways or parking lots.

By moving slowly and driving in a populated area gives real cops a chance to show up. If the cop is real, his backup will arrive shortly for a "suspicious" failure to yeild. If they're fake cops the cell phone will probably be your best friend until the real cops show up.

I'd avoid any confrontation until I knew whether they were real cops or not. The last thing you want to do is pull a weapon on a real cop who's been to the range more than you have!

If they ARE real, thank the dispatcher and ask them to tell the officer of your call and that you will pull over in a safe place. Cops who are professionals will understand, especially if they know you contacted their PD.

[Blackwater OPS]

FYI, in CA its illegal to do a stop with an unmarked unit, if this was to occur its either a cop who does not know what he/she is doing or a fake. Either way I would not stop. Call CHP/911.

[Res O. Lushin]

Living in central Florida, there hasn't been anything on the news about a band of sodomizing cop wannabes. Although, there was a story about a volunteer fire dept guy impersonating a cop and pulling women over. He was caught a week ago.

Do you have a news link?

[sendec]

Are they stealing kidneys, too?

After half a career in unmarked cars it didnt bother me a bit if someone kept going to a populated area, as long as they were'nt accelarating to do it. I normally requested a marked unit on any stops I did anyway, when possible.

[Mannlicher]

while I am sure this has happened, I feel this is more urban legend than anything else. I would like to see the links to local news sources.

[chrisandclauida2]

this happens in every large city. round here it happens several times a year. usually it is a wanna be getting a stiffie by pulling over some speeder. the police say never pull over for an unmarked car. justslow down and call 911 tell them the situation and ask for a marked car. you may get a felony stop out of it but you wont get raped drugged mugged etc. i had a unmarked car follow me almost 40 miles one time. i was leaving flagstaff for phoenix. this unmarked crown vic flipped on hist flashing lights in the grill. i ignored them and nothing happend. come to find out it was the warden of the winslow prison trying to be robo cop. needless to say when i found out i mentioned to him and made a friend and had a favor owed

[wayneinFL]

Sorry, don't have any links. I don't know about any specific incidents in Central Florida, but there have been plenty of cases in South Florida of idiots impersonating cops and pulling people over.

Last one I saw on the news was a guy who got caught when he pulled over an off duty cop on I-95 in Palm Beach County. He couldn't fool the real thing.

I think they said on the news you should slow down, don't stop, and call 911 to identify a cop, if you think he may be a fake.

[blackmind]

I guess, the moral is, if you feel you are being pulled over by an imposter, call 911 yourself and check the officer's badge number. The chances of this occuring aren't very high, but I felt since this was happening to men, not just women, and the violent nature of the crime, it was a good thing just to think about when ever pulled over.

I get the sense that IF you were pulled over by a fake cop, he probably would not allow you the time or opportunity to call 911, especially if you were to tell him, "Hold on a sec, I'm checking up on you."

Supposedly, a real cop is supposed to be willing to allow you to proceed to a populated area. Supposedly, he would also allow you to check his credentials/badge number.

But if you are pulled over, and you comply, and you see the (probably fake) badge of this imposter cop, it doesn't seem likely that once you've had personal, proximate contact like that he would allow you to call the real cops.


I think the story about the rapes/drugging sounds apocryphal. It's true that historically there have been cops who raped women on lonesome roads in rural counties, etc. There have also been real cops who have shaken down drug dealers, or illegal immigrant drivers, etc. But lately in Florida, more than that kind of stuff, people have been victimized by home invasion imposter cops. They arrive at a home with "police clothing" on, and possibly fake badges, and force their way into a home (usually a drug home) and obtain compliance from the occupants because in the quick progression of events it's tough to know whether the invaders are real cops that you'd better obey.

-blackmind

[threefivesevenmag]

I do not have a newslink.

One of the survivors is someone my MIL works with.

It's not an urban legend either. It has happened in my own town. I thought the case that was relayed to me was important, because most imposter pullovers occur with women, or at least around here.

I am sorry I cannot back this case up with a newslink, I can search for one if you would like. The post was about being aware and seeing what others thought might be appropriate given this odd situation.

Also, they pulled them over in less populated areas/highways. As the story was related to me, it seems that the group targeted people whose primary language was not english, giving the predators a great edge with communication/use of force.

[Topthis]

I'm still having problems with this one. If this is actually going on, then I would think that LE and the news groups would be all over it, especially if there are rapes and dead children involved!! Besides, I would think the solution would be an easy one...if getting pulled over by an unmarked Police car, one would just call the local PD or such and verify if in fact they are being pulled over by an unmarked Police car, again, especially in light of these supposed rapes and murders.

[Denny Hansen]

I'm still having problems with this one.

Me too. Closed until a credible source with link is provided. If someone emails or sends me a PM with the link, I'll reopen this one.

Denny