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• Routine Traffic Stops
• Blue Lights

 

Routine Traffic Stops

If you see a vehicle behind you with flashing blue lights attempting to get your attention to pull over it probably is a police vehicle.

Please be aware: Only uniformed officers are authorized to make routine traffic stops. The officer will be in a clearly marked police vehicle (either a blue and white fleet vehicle or a private vehicle with a blue light mounted to the vehicle roof). Patrol cars will have either a blue dome light or a blue and white light bar.

Plainclothes officers, such as detectives, have visor-mounted blue lights and do not make routine traffic stops. In an emergency, a plainclothes officer may make a traffic stop by activating the visor-mounted light and/or siren. When this happens, the plainclothes officer will radio for a uniformed officer to be sent to the scene.

If you are unsure:

If you are unsure whether the person attempting to stop you is an officer, you should:

• Stay in your car and call 911 immediately. Provide your location and a description of the person and vehicle. A police dispatcher will be able to tell whether the person is an officer.

OR

• Acknowledge the person by waving, then slowly drive to a well-lit, populated location. Keep your doors locked and lower the window just enough to converse with the person to determine his or her identity.