Total Chaos   10 #13 Posted October 28, 2011 In which case it's pointless having an unmarked police car - if by making a phone call to a police station they'll advise you you are being tailed by an unmarked car.They don't even have to advise this information if requested through legal channels, as it is detrimental to the police force and the genral publics interests. Details of at least one force policy: http://www.hampshire.police.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A2BE7927-5446-4CDE-B892-0D3F0E74F692/0/HC0003706.pdf  True i guess.I phoned them years ago because of a suspicious parked car with 3 occupants in it.They told me not to worry, as it is an unmarked police car and they are working ie stake out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
alas_alas   10 #14 Posted October 28, 2011 Put it this way: do you think it would be better if the police said they were investigating the car that trailed me, but then didn't actually do anything about it, even though I knew the registration number?  So of course it's also in the police's interests to inform citizens of unmarked police cars operating in the area.  On the same grounds, I think it would therefore be fair of the officers in the unmarked cars to identify themselves before confusion occurs, such as happened with me.  If they suspected me of something, why didn't they ask to speak to me? If they didn't, then why did they follow me?  It's unnerving for people walking around late at night to be followed by strange cars - the police should know that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Snook   10 #15 Posted October 28, 2011 True i guess.I phoned them years ago because of a suspicious parked car with 3 occupants in it.They told me not to worry, as it is an unmarked police car and they are working ie stake out  Whoever told you that needs sacking! Crazy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
willman   10 #16 Posted October 28, 2011 Put it this way: do you think it would be better if the police said they were investigating the car that trailed me, but then didn't actually do anything about it, even though I knew the registration number? So of course it's also in the police's interests to inform citizens of unmarked police cars operating in the area.  On the same grounds, I think it would therefore be fair of the officers in the unmarked cars to identify themselves before confusion occurs, such as happened with me.  If they suspected me of something, why didn't they ask to speak to me? If they didn't, then why did they follow me?  It's unnerving for people walking around late at night to be followed by strange cars - the police should know that.   I think it would be better for them to tell you nothing at all. It's in no ones best interests to know details of unmarked police vehicles that are active in an area.  They could have been passing on your details to the cop shop to see if you were the person they were looking for. Why should they stop and make themselves known to you - if you were guilty you'd have known soon enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
alas_alas   10 #17 Posted October 28, 2011 Why should they stop and make themselves known to you - if you were guilty you'd have known soon enough.  I'm sorry this doesn't make sense.  They should make themselves known because otherwise you've got one confused/scared/intimidated citizen wondering why they're being trailed.  The police are there to protect us, not to make us all suspects.  If the police suspect someone of fitting a description, it's probably best to stop and question that person rather than just following them around for 15 minutes.  It doesn't take 15 minutes and repeated passings in their car to check my details with their control.  Simply put, the police should not under any circumstances add to fear and intimidation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
andrejuan   10 #18 Posted October 28, 2011 I think it's generally considered best practice to talk to the 'suspect' rather than trailing them for 15 minutes in an unmarked black car. Then you think wrong.  Lots of reasons for the police to keep their distance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
alas_alas   10 #19 Posted October 28, 2011 Lots of reasons for the police to keep their distance.  Yes, indeed, as I am of course the naked gun man, as Snook successfully argued earlier Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
willman   10 #20 Posted October 28, 2011 I'm sorry this doesn't make sense.  They should make themselves known because otherwise you've got one confused/scared/intimidated citizen wondering why they're being trailed.  The police are there to protect us, not to make us all suspects.  If the police suspect someone of fitting a description, it's probably best to stop and question that person rather than just following them around for 15 minutes.  It doesn't take 15 minutes and repeated passings in their car to check my details with their control.  Simply put, the police should not under any circumstances add to fear and intimidation.  But you're intimidated because a car is following you - not because it is a police car. So report the offending vehicle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
sccsux   10 #21 Posted October 28, 2011 Lots of reasons for the police to keep their distance.  Yeah, they can taser you from a distance without fear or harm to themselves. Getting close up and personal is probably frowned upon by the "top brass" due to the number of people they've killed recently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
chem1st   10 #22 Posted October 28, 2011 Yes, indeed, as I am of course the naked gun man, as Snook successfully argued earlier  You couldn't have had the gun in your pocket.  Perhaps you were just pleased to see them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
randolf   10 #23 Posted October 28, 2011 Surely the decision whether to tell somebody that they were being followed by an unmarked car depends on the circumstances.  If, by telling a member of the public the police jeopardise an ongoing operation, then it would obviously be better not to say anything, however if (as seems to be the case this time) not saying anything would have left a member of the public concerned that he/she was being followed late at night, then it's better to let them know.  It would be pretty incredible to believe that telling one member of the public about an unmarked police car is going to threaten the effectiveness of said police car, since everytime the police car pulls somebody over, that person and any passersby would know about that unmarked police car. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Mr Gobby   10 #24 Posted October 28, 2011 If the op was indeed alone at night, then they had every right to feel uneasy. I think i would proberbly have been aswell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...