Question for Plodd...

[Swiss Toni]

The law gives a Police Officer in uniform the power to stop a vehicle.

The issue about the hat is a bit of a red herring in that there used to be a suggestion that an Officer had to be wearing his hat to be "in uniform" for these purposes - it just isn't true (and there is a stated case).

There is no requirement for the vehicle to be "in uniform" (!) so plain cars are fine.

It IS true that an Officer not in uniform does not have the legal power to require you to stop, but you aren't likely to find that out until you stop and see that they are not actually in uniform - the only case where this might be an issue is where a car fails to stop for Police (who aren't in uniform), the driver is caught and consideration is given to a charge of "Failing to stop for a Police Officer (in uniform)" - in practice, the reason for failing to stop is usually the more significant charge and the driving becomes just a factor at sentancing.
And being mistaken that you "thought the Officer was not in uniform" is no defence what so ever.

And what is uniform?

Pretty wide ranging. If the Police say it is acceptable uniform, then it is. Many forces have Officers on patrol in black polo shirts, wearing a Police baseball cap could also constitute uniform.

I have a pair of "Police" brand sunglasses - they are not uniform

Don't mix up other offences (such as impersonating a Police Officer) with the legal power to stop vehicles though - being in possession of an item that would give the impression the holder is a Cop may be enough there.

 

[Swiss Toni]

A Police officer stopping a motor vehicle has to be fully uniformed in a unmarked car unless it is a member from a "car theft" recovery unit - .

Sorry, there is no legal basis for this what so ever - it may be a local force Policy though.

 

[recycled]

Damn, hindsight is a horrible curse...

Well if you have an E63amg ,or a Cls55 amg they may have the power to stop you but not the power to catch you.:bannana: :bannana: :bannana: .
I would definitely stop.
But if they come out and are wearing jeans and t-shirts , i will just take off again and dial 999(hands free of course) to confirm what is going on.

 

[Swiss Toni]

One more thing...

The Cop does not actually have to be on duty, so if they were in uniform and in their own car (eg on their way to work) and they came across what they believed to be a drink-driver, they have the legal power to require the vehicle to stop (and the other driver commits an offence if they don't).
It wouldn't make it to court on a charge solely of "Failing to stop" on that one though - not really in the public interest.

 

[Swiss Toni]

Well if you have an E63amg ,or a Cls55 amg they may have the power to stop you but not the power to catch you

It would have to be a damn quick AMG that was faster than the radio message to the car up the road (which around here could be as close as 30 miles away... )

 

[Howard]

Like this one ?

 

[recycled]

Is that octavia the VRS or is it the diesel one?

 

[Howard]

They have the Audi TT engined ones on the M3 , one silver , one black ....

 

[glojo]

The issue about the hat is a bit of a red herring in that there used to be a suggestion that an Officer had to be wearing his hat to be "in uniform" for these purposes - it just isn't true (and there is a stated case).

Stated cases, don't you just love them?

When this was a contenious issue our local Police used to raise the height of the headrestraints to hide their caps. I fully agree about the uniform issue, different ships, different cap tallies, but I doubt a CID officer wearing a baseball cap would fit the bill Having said that nothing would surprise me, but again common sense should apply. Traffic infringements will usually be dealt with by officers in uniform. It is usually good practice in a firearms incident for the good guys to be identifiable and wearing these caps is an easy method of identification (until now )

John

 

[recycled]

remember car wars on BBc1 when GMP were in an unmarked WRX sti and they were chasing an FQ340 .They kept calling for the chopper and other cars but typically all the other officers were busy and they were on their own so the EVO left them for dead.
By the time they caught up it had been abandoned and the engine was cooling down.

 

[recycled]

They have the Audi TT engined ones on the M3 , one silver , one black ....

Audi TT is it 3.2V6 or a 1.8T. still no match for stuttgarts finest.
I guess the coppers down south take their policing more seriously.Up here they need to get into serious shape.

 

[Howard]

I saw that the other day .... thought they were in a Golf chasing the Evo ...

Whatever it was , they got toasted ....

 

[Swiss Toni]

remember car wars on BBc1 when GMP were in an unmarked WRX sti and they were chasing an FQ340 .They kept calling for the chopper and other cars but typically all the other officers were busy and they were on their own so the EVO left them for dead.
By the time they caught up it had been abandoned and the engine was cooling down.

Not wanting to sound too much like David Brent, but so long as you understand the Beeb take hours of film just to get a few seconds of broadcast - and the truth comes a poor second to "the full story" sometimes.

That said, the Cops seem to prefer Subarus to MixerBiscuits as they need something that is reliable and will go for more than 3k miles between services...

And the Cops know that they do have to drive within the bounds of the law, with the lives of the public, their lives, their mortgage etc sitting on it if they get it wrong - Mr EVO JQ360 has none of these worries...

 

[recycled]

They also tried to get a 360spyder. Luckily the girl driving stopped for them cos she was having a tiff with her fella and the dude reported the car stolen.
I know they have two silver A3 audis. A green wrx and a blue one. and some 330 BMWs.What they need is the brabus CLS that jason plato was driving on fifth gear

 

[Swiss Toni]

Like this one ?

 

[recycled]

Not wanting to sound too much like David Brent, but so long as you understand the Beeb take hours of film just to get a few seconds of broadcast - and the truth comes a poor second to "the full story" sometimes.

That said, the Cops seem to prefer Subarus to MixerBiscuits as they need something that is reliable and will go for more than 3k miles between services...

Agreed but what use is reliability when you can not catch anyone?
Only joking .The scooby is alright but the EVO is pretty reliable as well

 

[glojo]

I see ...

So , people being pursued by unmarked cars , with plain clothes police in them , legally don't have to stop when they put the hidden blue strobes on ..... ?

So , on the motorway , when you get flashed and strobed by an unmarked Octavia , just carry on , as they have no power to stop you ? surely not ?

Me thinks you have learnt something, but most important is to read Swiss Toni's comments. The car does NOT have to be in uniform. Pull over and re-assess.

Shame on you for doubting me

Regards
John

 

[Howard]

I never doubt you John ...

I just know you love to stir it up .....

I very rarely get stopped nowadays , I'm an upstanding pillar of the community

 

[Swiss Toni]

Me thinks you have learnt something, but most important is to read Swiss Toni's comments. The car does NOT have to be in uniform. Pull over and re-assess.

Shame on you for doubting me

Regards
John

And just to mix it up, if the car is in uniform and the Cop isn't - there is no Legal Power to require the car to stop.


Fail to stop for too long and don't give the kind of answer that nice Mr Plodd believes and he is likely to suspect you have been necking some pills, so take you down the cells to look in some very private places.

 

[Flash]

remember car wars on BBc1 when GMP were in an unmarked WRX sti and they were chasing an FQ340 .They kept calling for the chopper and other cars but typically all the other officers were busy and they were on their own so the EVO left them for dead.
By the time they caught up it had been abandoned and the engine was cooling down.

The main reasons why these “scallies” get away in chases by abandoning the stolen vehicles in high speed pursuits is because 1). they always go into residential areas that they know inside out and have pre planned escape routes from abandoning the vehicle so it turns into a foot pursuit, or 2). They will go off road into woods and the Police car will get left behind by having to back off so it does not get damaged no matter how powerful the unmarked Police car may be. Also, the pursuing Police car has to drive responsibly where the thieves will drive recklessly thus giving them a head start regardless to the power of the vehicle.