Unmarked

[blaknoize]

Though I dont kno if this is classified as "news" to you guys. But on my way to Ohio 4 days ago I ran into this. A completely unmarked officer. So... at least on 75N be on the look out. My detector was going off to confirm that question of "if he is a cop or not"

Lights are restricted to the rear window, rear license plate and only 2 on the headlights. I couldnt see if they had any in the grill. Plane GA license plate to. No GOVT status or letters to look for.

And no... I dont have a cheap detector.

[tony]

DOT trucks would set off my detector. Unmarked cars can't pull you over in Georgia but they could radio to someone else.

[blaknoize]

I'm not talkin about the X though Tony. Those DOT indicators also do that to mine. But this was a Ka range warning that stayed with me till he pulled off.

[blaknoize]

The detector

[BanginJimmy]

I'll bet you that he was a big wig of some type on his way to something. That is the only time you will see a cop in a completely unmarked vehicle.

Also, the antenna would give him away. I know I always look for that when i see a crown vic, or impala.

[AnTi-PooN]

i look for the brake lights in the rear window or the flaslight on there driverside mirror

[jew_boy]

DOT trucks would set off my detector. Unmarked cars can't pull you over in Georgia but they could radio to someone else.

wrong man. there are a few unmarked cop cars done here in warner robins. and they can pull you over. i have a couple of family members as cops and one in the FBI so i know alittle about the law

[joecoolfreak]

wrong man. there are a few unmarked cop cars done here in warner robins. and they can pull you over. i have a couple of family members as cops and one in the FBI so i know alittle about the law

Appearantly not as much as you think you do:


Georgia
40-1-7.
Whenever pursuing a person in violation of a traffic related offense, a uniformed law enforcement officer who is assigned routinely or primarily to traffic law enforcement or other traffic safety duties on the roadways or highways of this state must place a visible blue light on the roof of his or her vehicle if such vehicle is not equipped with permanent exterior mounted roof blue lights; provided, however, that the provisions of this Code section shall not apply to law enforcement officers operating vehicles manufactured prior to 2001. This Code section shall not apply to any officer assigned to special operations activities or responding to an immediate threat to public safety as a result of an accident or other emergency. This Code section shall not apply to vehicles of the Georgia State Patrol or of a sheriff́s office or police department which office or police department provides law enforcement services by certified peace officers 24 hours a day, seven days a week where the vehicles are marked in accordance with Code Section 40-8-91, with flashing or revolving colored lights visible under normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of 500 feet from the front and rear of such vehicle, and which also has an illuminating agency identifier reasonably visible to a driver of a vehicle subject to a traffic stop; provided, however, that the Georgia State Patrol shall not be permitted to have more than two vehicles per post without such exterior mounted roof lights; and, provided, further that a sheriff́s office or police department shall not be permitted to have more than one vehicle per agency without such exterior mounted roof lights. An otherwise lawful arrest shall not be invalidated or in any manner affected by failure to comply with this Code section.

AND

40-8-91.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, any motor vehicle which is used on official business by any person authorized to make arrests for traffic violations in this state, or any municipality or county thereof, shall be distinctly marked on each side and the back with the name of the agency responsible therefor, in letters not less than four inches in height.
(b) Any motor vehicle, except as hereinafter provided in this subsection, used by any employee of the Georgia State Patrol for the purpose of enforcing the traffic laws of this state shall be distinctly painted, marked, and equipped in such manner as shall be prescribed by the commissioner of public safety pursuant to this Code section. The commissioner in prescribing the manner in which such vehicles shall be painted, marked, or equipped shall: THIS SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO GEORGIA STATE PATROL VEHICLES

[jew_boy]

Whenever pursuing a person in violation of a traffic related offense, a uniformed law enforcement officer who is assigned routinely or primarily to traffic law enforcement or other traffic safety duties on the roadways or highways of this state must place a visible blue light on the roof of his or her vehicle if such vehicle is not equipped with permanent exterior mounted roof blue lights; provided, however, that the provisions of this Code section shall not apply to law enforcement officers operating vehicles manufactured prior to 2001. This Code section shall not apply to any officer assigned to special operations activities or responding to an immediate threat to public safety as a result of an accident or other emergency. This Code section shall not apply to vehicles of the Georgia State Patrol or of a sheriff́s office or police department which office or police department provides law enforcement services by certified peace officers 24 hours a day, seven days a week where the vehicles are marked in accordance with Code Section 40-8-91, with flashing or revolving colored lights visible under normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of 500 feet from the front and rear of such vehicle, and which also has an illuminating agency identifier reasonably visible to a driver of a vehicle subject to a traffic stop; provided, however, that the Georgia State Patrol shall not be permitted to have more than two vehicles per post without such exterior mounted roof lights; and, provided, further that a sheriff́s office or police department shall not be permitted to have more than one vehicle per agency without such exterior mounted roof lights. An otherwise lawful arrest shall not be invalidated or in any manner affected by failure to comply with this Code section.

[AnTi-PooN]

pwnd

[tony]

Whenever pursuing a person in violation of a traffic related offense, a uniformed law enforcement officer who is assigned routinely or primarily to traffic law enforcement or other traffic safety duties on the roadways or highways of this state must place a visible blue light on the roof of his or her vehicle if such vehicle is not equipped with permanent exterior mounted roof blue lights; provided, however, that the provisions of this Code section shall not apply to law enforcement officers operating vehicles manufactured prior to 2001. This Code section shall not apply to any officer assigned to special operations activities or responding to an immediate threat to public safety as a result of an accident or other emergency. This Code section shall not apply to vehicles of the Georgia State Patrol or of a sheriff́s office or police department which office or police department provides law enforcement services by certified peace officers 24 hours a day, seven days a week where the vehicles are marked in accordance with Code Section 40-8-91, with flashing or revolving colored lights visible under normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of 500 feet from the front and rear of such vehicle, and which also has an illuminating agency identifier reasonably visible to a driver of a vehicle subject to a traffic stop; provided, however, that the Georgia State Patrol shall not be permitted to have more than two vehicles per post without such exterior mounted roof lights; and, provided, further that a sheriff́s office or police department shall not be permitted to have more than one vehicle per agency without such exterior mounted roof lights. An otherwise lawful arrest shall not be invalidated or in any manner affected by failure to comply with this Code section.

Did you read the whole thing or just the part you bolded cause it sounds much different when you bold the rest of the sentence. They still have to be identifiable and not completely "unmarked"

Two of my school buddies were Kennesaw Captains and drove nothing but unmarked cars but they would never pull someone over.

[joecoolfreak]

As Tony mentions, the part you bolded makes the exception but says that they have to follow the second code that I included, which states that all vehicles used for a traffic stop must at least have 4 inch lettering. Since you have selective reading skills:


Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, any motor vehicle which is used on official business by any person authorized to make arrests for traffic violations in this state, or any municipality or county thereof, shall be distinctly marked on each side and the back with the name of the agency responsible therefor, in letters not less than four inches in height.

[Motivation]

Can an unmarked car pull over with a marked car though? Just a question I was wondering. I have seen a few unmarked SUV's in Griffin, and even a "unmarked" comcast work van that was pulled with an unmarked suburban with a clayton county sheriff behind someone. All three had blue lights flashing everywhere.

[joecoolfreak]

Yes, as long as there is a marked vehicle doing the initial "pull over" there can be as many unmarked cars as they like. BTW, from a quick bit of research, GA is the only state that completely disallows unmarked vehicles from pulling over a motorist for traffic infractions.

[BobbyFresco]

I never knew about any of this....Reps for Tony and Joecool if I can...
I wonder what the policy is in SC...I always see unmarked cars pulling ppl over here...


Edit: I did some research and I found out that it is perfectly legal here in sc although they are currently exploring the idea of doing away with the use of unmarked cars

[blaknoize]

^to answer that. No. I was pulled over about a week ago headin to Myrtle Beach by a completely unmarked Explorer.

[JBG762]

Yes, as long as there is a marked vehicle doing the initial "pull over" there can be as many unmarked cars as they like. BTW, from a quick bit of research, GA is the only state that completely disallows unmarked vehicles from pulling over a motorist for traffic infractions.

Actually GA does NOT "completely" disallow unmarked cars at all, you just have to get used to reading "lawyer speak". If you read the above referenced code sections, OCGA 40-8-91, and also 40-1-7, you'll notice that a big key phrase is "assigned routinely or primarily to traffic law enforcement". So that detective in an unmarked car who's on his way to lunch and watches you do something stupid can still stop you. 40-1-7 also says "An otherwise lawful arrest shall not be invalidated or in any manner affected by failure to comply with this Code section". Which basically means theoretically some Sheriff out there COULD decide to just make all his cars unmarked and go out there and enforce traffic all day long. The State would have to sue him to get him to stop. Granted the state court judges and/or prosecutors in a case like that would probably just start throwing the cases out. But there's plenty of case law that says if an officer sees a dangerous offense, like a DUI or a reckless driver, he has a duty to stop the guy whether he's in a marked car or not. There is a Georgia Supreme Court ruling from a case back in the 1980s where 2 narcotics agents in an undercover Ford Mustang on their way back from working a search warrant stuck one of those Miami Vice style rotating blue lights up on the dash and made a DUI case on a guy because there weren't any marked units around. The Supreme Court said it was fine since it wasn't "routine traffic enforcement". The ONLY exception is an officer has to be in a marked car to charge someone with fleeing and attempting to elude. However, he could still charge them with obstructing an investigation and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle if they tried to run. To be defined as an "emergency vehicle" in Georgia you just have to have at least 1 flashing or revolving blue or red light visible from at least 500 feet away and an audible horn or siren. I'd just hate to see someone end up in jail because "But I read on the internet that I didn't have to stop for an unmarked car".

[redrumracer]

in my experiences where there is one there is normally two. and as already stated in sc they can pull you over in unmarked cars. i know this first hand as all my tickets have come from sc and i used to live there.

[blaknoize]

^LOL sucks...

But dont speed in OH either. Especially on a state route. They are everywhere.

[IndianStig]

Can an unmarked car pull over with a marked car though? Just a question I was wondering. I have seen a few unmarked SUV's in Griffin, and even a "unmarked" comcast work van that was pulled with an unmarked suburban with a clayton county sheriff behind someone. All three had blue lights flashing everywhere.



Thats a straight drug bust right there....