Would you pull over for an unmarked car?

Historic City News Editor Michael Gold asked St. Johns County Sheriff David B. Shoar what someone should do if an unmarked vehicle attempts to pull them over — especially in the case where a uniformed officer cannot be clearly identified behind the wheel.

“This risk from this type of situation can quickly escalate if the driver and the officer do not communicate with each other about the other’s intentions and identity,” Shoar said.

If the driver has done nothing wrong and there is no obvious reason for the officer to stop the driver’s vehicle, the driver may become extremely anxious; understandably so.

If the officer has a legitimate reason for stopping the vehicle, and the vehicle refuses to stop when the officer displays a flashing light, the officer may become extremely anxious; understandably so.

Whenever possible, Shoar says deputies who drive unmarked cars are not pulling over passing motorists. In the case of traffic officers who are operating unmarked cars, the deputy is in full patrol uniform and should be easily identifiable if they activate their flashing lights or siren.

Plainclothes officers driving unmarked vehicles are typically investigators or supervisors and will call in a marked unit to affect a vehicle stop.

But, consider the story of one woman whose intuition and advance planning may very well have saved her life.

It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend.

An unmarked police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on.

Lauren’s parents have always told her never to pull over on the side of the road for an unmarked car — but rather wait until they get to a gas station, etc.

Lauren had actually listened to her parent’s advice, and promptly called 9-1-1 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away.

She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was — and there weren’t. The dispatcher told her to keep driving, to remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.

Ten minutes later 4 patrol cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.

One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground.

The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

Shoar told Historic City News that his deputies are trained to be especially observant whenever they attempt a traffic stop in an unmarked car. “For the safety of the driver and the deputy, we have to consciously maintain a sense of focus on signs the driver may give to indicate their intention to pull over — just not at that exact location.”

Shoar says the best process is for the driver to slow to a safe speed and activate their turn signal, confirming that they understand that the officer is attempting to stop them. “As soon as possible, once you reach a clear, well lit location like a convenience store or service station, pull into the parking lot and, if you feel safe, open your window for the officer.”

If you have a cell phone, ideally you will call 9-1-1 and emergency personnel will be able to identify the officer attempting to stop you. However, if you do not have a cell phone, or you cannot confirm the identity of the person attempting to stop your car, do not pull over, Shoar said.

“I have a 20 year-old daughter,” Shoar told Historic City News. “The last thing I would tell her to do is to pull her car over on a dark or isolated road just because someone flashed a light at her.”

We asked Shoar about the risk that deputies will overreact to the adrenaline that naturally occurs when a law enforcement officer has to chase someone who refuses to stop. Shoar admits that his agency is counting on deputy training, maturity and reasoned judgment to keep them from unnecessarily reacting. “We’re not going to shoot the tires of a traffic offender who slows down, indicates that they are going to pull over, but continues to a safer location,” Shoar said. “That’s especially true if the deputy is in an unmarked car.”