ADP Police Page Part II

IMPERSONATORS BEWARE!

(P71 for some of you that don't know is the police code in the VIN number of the Crown Victoria, designating the car as a police package. I believe the Boxy LTD police cars of the early 90's and 80's have P72 in the VIN. )

Now that I have your attention, remember to relax when driving your retired cruiser! My first P71 was a 1993 Crown Victoria. It came with no spotlight, but I quickly changed that and even put a CB and setina 12-inch push bumper on it. Well even with all that equipment, people would pass me out and drive ignorantly by me. But then again I had my share of laughs like being behind people who see me and decide it's a good time to put on their seatbelt. I've driven behind people with no plate. The purpose of this paragraph is simple. Even though your in a retired police car, one year old or 8 years old, some people will still blow through lights with you sitting there or pass you out. Then again you might have a good laugh like when years ago, I was at a red light in my white Vic, when a BMW approached my intersection, and made a quick decision not to blow the yellow and slammed on the brakes. I mean slammed, smoke and everything! You may be moving at a good clip and someone might jump in front of you, forcing your feet to slam on the ABS brakes. Then you'll want to tailgate them, cut them off, or perish the thought give them the finger. Relax. You’re driving a retired cruiser and there is nothing you can do about it. So keep your cool when driving your car. Don't go to the next level like police impersonators do and take matters in your own hands. The more your car looks like it is in service, increases your chances that you will be asked for help! In my years of driving a police car And I have driven through plenty of car accident scenes before the police show up. Everyone is going to look at you and wonder why your driving away! It's always good to carry a cell phone on you and if you witness an accident, to call for assistance. Don't direct traffic or park in the middle of the road and put your flashers on. 'Your not a Cop.' And I've watched probably hundreds of police chases on television. During a car chase, DON'T be the guy that jumps in front of the fleeing perpetrator to slow him down or stop him/her. It is not your obligation or business to interfere with a Law Enforcement matter. Unless you’re a certified sworn member of a police department, just move over to the side of the road if you see a police chase barreling down on you! I have a scanner in my cruiser. My scanner hobby began like 6 years ago and now when a particular police agency speaks, I pretty much know what department it is without looking at the display. It's interesting that police chases always happen when I'm home and to this date they haven't happened when I'm on the road. But I have heard people who encountered a hit and run and followed the perp, relaying information to that particular department’s police dispatch. I used to hear the Connecticut State Police and their dispatchers. Besides car accidents, people report reckless drivers frequently, especially truck drivers. Remember, in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and New York having a police scanner in your car/and or person is ILLEGAL! But if your in a state where use is legal and you run into a vehicle that is wanted in a hit and run or the person might be intoxicated, by all means use your cell phone, call the police in that city, and report your location anonymously! Obviously if the perpetrator is a bank robbery suspect, or dangerous felon, don't follow them. If you run into a reckless driver who is speeding, don't pursue the moron!

THE POLICE IMPERSONATOR SYNDROME

Go to yahoo search and type in police impersonator. Go ahead do it. Then you can spend hours upon hours reading about the true ‘wannabes’ that are out there. What is a wannabe? Am I a wannabe? Are the thousands of police car owners around our country and overseas police wannabes? I’ve been trying to figure out what is a police wannabe. Is a police wannabe someone who drives around in a retired police cruiser? Well if that is the case I’m a wannabe. Is a police wannabe someone who has police equipment, a 100 watt siren, red and blue whelen strobes in the front window of their retired cruiser and pulls people over? I think that would classify that person as a mentally disturbed person and police impersonator. I really do not care what people think about me because one of my cars is as fast as a Mercury Marauder and I paid tens of thousands of dollars less.    I enjoy police cars. They’re fun, fast, and cheap. Some people collect ‘classic’ cars and drive them around. Others restore these cars little by little and still drive them. I drive them because it is what I prefer. My father is in Law Enforcement, I’ve been in security for over 6 years, and now I’m a dispatcher. In time I might choose probation, parole, or Law Enforcement as a career. I have been listening to police radio for years and I can tell what department is dispatching. I can differentiate between Woodbridge, New Haven, West Haven, Bridgeport, East Haven, Hamden, etc. Unfortunately for me and other radio hobbyist, the State Police are trunked and Milford police are digital.

                                                                                            Help!

As I said before and I’ll say it again, if you drive a retired cruiser, especially only a few years old, you might get flagged down and asked for help. Connecticut State Troopers drive unmarked Crown Victoria’s in a variety of colors and when they are off duty, they are flagged down and asked for help. For you police car drivers that are EMT’s or CPR certified, if you pull up to a car accident, you might actually be able to assist. But for the majority of us, if you’re driving a retired cruiser, especially a 2001-present Ford Crown Victoria P71, someone could mistake you for the real thing. For the criminals that usually is a good thing, but for someone who needs help and sees you, well that’s another.

POLICE IMPERSONATORS

While my car looks harmless except for the big antenna sticking out of the trunk, others out there get some kind of rush and take police car driving to the next level. In Connecticut to my knowledge, police impersonation is a class D felony. But that hasn’t stopped several people that I have written about, on these very pages of my website. A few years ago a car dealership was selling a silver ford crown victoria police car right on the post road. Then January of 2004, a silver crown victoria was used to pull over a woman on route 34 in Orange, Connecticut. It could be just coincedence, but this event took place in 2004. Furthermore, this guy is out there somewhere probably still driving the same car. The newspaper article failed to mention what model year the Crown Victoria was. That shows you the great impressive information journalists receive and write when reporting on a major incident. Was it a 1995 Crown Vic body style or 1998 and newer? Did it have full wheel hubcaps or center caps? HOW ABOUT SOME INFORMATION! That jerk and others like him are driving our city streets and highways. It seems these people are just sick. Some are caught with actual uniform patches in their car, guns, and other equipment. I’ve read that some of these scumbags were stupid enough to have the luck of pulling over actual cops. Ohio, California, and New York have had several stories published about police impersonators. My state has had its share but I hear about police impersonation more from the newspaper then the news. Police lights and siren can be bought on ebay easily. Then again you might be able to buy a fully equipped police interceptor on ebay. I saw one late model Ford for sale and the guy was selling it with everything. The radar gun in the windshield, rear and forward facing hidden strobe lights, multi-antennas on the trunk, you name it. He even wrote, “If you ever wanted road respect you can have it with this car!” Yeah! You can have respect! You’ll get so much of it when your plate is run and it doesn’t come back to an agency! Look at this ad I found online: “…brown w/tan interior, 97,800 mi, ABS, pb, pdl, ps, air, pw, air bags, 4 dr, p/seats, 8 cyl, all power, am/fm cass, auto, cruise, VINxxxxxxxxx, heavy duty chrome center caps, GE bright spotlight, overall a very clean car! full P71 police pkg police interceptor, runs & drives BRAND new, owned by CT State Police, very fast & intimidating! 97K Hwy mileage, fleet maintained, newer good year RSA tires, Watch them clear out of the left lane!!” Very clean car, call today! $6995. “Clear them out of the left lane,” what a great comment. You’ll clear them out of the left lane until a real Trooper forces you over on the right! West Haven, Connecticut police just locked up a 36-year lunatic. Paul Brennan was arrested for impersonating a bail bondsman. He had several handcuffs and police batons in his car. The story was on the front page of the January 4th edition of the New Haven Register. Read about it at http://www.newhavenregister.com.
And once again the New Haven Register did not describe the make and model of car Paul was driving. Paul also had an operational siren and flashing lights installed in his ‘unknown’ make car. This deeply confused guy has a long history of operating an unlicensed bail agent in Connecticut and has a criminal record in Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Colorado.

I used to visit police car web boards and read about police encounters with used-police car drivers. Some used police car drivers had bad experiences with the police officers, or had questions about what they should expect. Please don’t expect that ‘road respect’ like the online sellers. I went back to that ebay seller’s ad and he revised it. Some police officers appreciate our hobby while others could care less. Especially the ones that were involved with the arrests of actual police impersonators. The one thing that you all must remember is the cop who pulls up next to you went through 6 months or more of police academy training to drive that cruiser. His/Her job is to protect and serve and your job may be an electrician, dispatcher, or engineer.    If you have a ‘BIG’ ego or if your feelings are easily hurt, maybe this isn’t the hobby for you. If that is the case do not buy a retired police car and perhaps you’ll be better suited in a Nissan SE-R.

                                                                        CONNECTICUT STATE LAW

But for further clarification on the police impersonation, let’s look at the law. Chapter 246 of Connecticut Law, dealing with motor vehicles, Sec. 13-96o. States…Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two spot lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam will strike the windshield, or any windows, mirror or occupant of another vehicle…

The most important section is Sec. 14-96p. … No person shall display upon any motor vehicle any light visible from the front thereof other than white, yellow or amber, or any light other than red, yellow, amber or white visible from the rear thereof…Flashing or revolving white lights may not be displayed upon a motor vehicle except on (A) on fire emergency apparatus (B) on motor vehicles of paid and volunteer fire chiefs and their first and second deputies or their first and second assistants should there be no deputies (C) as a means of indicating a right or left turn…

…And the article states as long as the vehicle is an ambulance or school bus. A blue light may not be illuminated upon a motor vehicle, except that a vehicle being operated by an active member of a volunteer fire department…

…And finally a flashing green light may not be used upon a motor vehicle, except that a vehicle being operated by an active member of a volunteer ambulance association or company who has been authorized in writing by the chief executive officer of such association or …

So as you can see in 2005 police impersonation is alive and well in Connecticut. I wonder if the fake bail bondsman drove a silver crown victoria, like the impersonator did earlier last year. If you are pulled over and you think the stop is bogus, here are some options. Instead of driving on and being charged with fleeing, call 911 on your cell phone and ask if the stop is legitimate. If you do not have a cell phone pull into a fire department or police department parking lot if you know the area. Gas stations are everywhere, so pull into one if you think the traffic stop is bogus. So hopefully you all can see where I’m going with this. Pull into a public parking area if you think the cop is phony.    99% of the time if you are pulled over the stop is going to be in a marked car. If the person’s uniform or ‘car’ is in question, question the officer making the stop. He may not be an officer after all. Ask for identification and for god’s sake don’t give your license or any other information if your not sure. And if you run across a possible bogus stop on the highway or city street, check to see whether the officer is really a cop. Could this stop I’m witnessing be fake? Where is the officer’s back up? I know for sure my police department doesn’t have blue lights? And for heaven’s sake, and I can’t emphasize this anymore, get plate numbers, plate numbers, and LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS! DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE MAKING THE STOP. FORD OR CHEVY? FULL WHEEL HUBCAPS? SPOTLIGHT? AND IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE POLICE UNIFORMS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND STATE POLICE UNIFORMS.
Be safe when you’re on the road. Police impersonation will grow if we all sit on by and do nothing about the problem.

^{Chevy Camaro Police Package}

0-60 max speed

1991 *	7.0 Seconds	150 mph
1992 *	6.7 seconds	152 mph
1993	6.18 seconds	154 m.p.h.
1996	6.5 seconds	159 m.p.h.
1997	6.4 seconds	156 m.p.h.
1998	6 seconds	150 m.p.h.
1999	6.32 seconds	159m.p.h.
2000	5.8 seconds	160 mph
2001	5.87 seconds	159 mph
2002	5.69 seconds	159 mph

These figures are based on automatic transmissions........
* Info from the Los Angeles Sheriff Department tests!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey yaw! Look what this poorly uninformed person wrote: This article appeared in the Connecticut Post and Stein discussed what to look for when buying a used car.

Pat Stein..."Used cars to avoid include fleet cars, rental cars, cars that were used as taxi cabs or in law enforcement."

Really? You mean my 1995 Crown Victoria P71 with 100K miles is a loss? Heavy duty suspension, brakes, and tires. That must mean the Chevy Caprice LT1 is a total loss with that muscle car engine.
Or I should of avoided buying my 1993 Crown Victoria P71, which I drove for 4 years, and probably put a good 50,000 miles on it. Now my uncle is driving my 1993!! Hey listen here! I rather drive a ex-police car than just about anything on the road except, the Ford Mustang, a Lincoln LS, the 300C, Dodge Magnum, and the upcoming Charger! And anyways, Stein I guess doesn't know about all the police cars sold on ebay.com, auctions, and the many, many, used police car websites!

This site was written, produced, and published by me. I would like to thank Robert Genat, Edwin Sanow, James Post, and the other people who enjoy police cars! Just keep on visiting.
Use my photographs if you want. And remember...honor the timeless classic...
My appreciation goes out to

Yes! I'm on a 2 GHZ computer! Thanks Santa Claus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1990 Mustang Special Service package	7.97
1991 Mustang SS package	8.41
1992 Mustang SS package	8.08
1993 Mustang SS package	7.98
2002 Crown Victoria	Best Run 8.36 seconds	Average of 4 runs-> 8.42 sec
2004 Crown Victoria 3.55 rear	Best run 8.17 seconds	Average of 4 runs-> 8.25
1996 Chevy Caprice LT1	Best run 7.89 seconds	Average after 4 runs->8.02
2000 Taurus SE (200 horsepower V-6 Duratec)	8.3 seconds
2005 Crown Victoria 3.55 rear	Best run 8.10 seconds	Average of 4 runs 8.15

1992	9.51 #	124
1993	9.57	123
1994	N/A	128
1995	8.99 #	132
1996	9.10	135
1997	10.5	129
1998	9.01	130
1999	8.55	129
2000	8.75	129
2001	8.7	129
2002	8.42	129
2003	8.84	127
2004	8.44	128
2005	8.42/8.15 *	128/119*

Michigan State Police Tests