NYPD now using out of State plates

"Rico" (ricorich)
02/05/2015 at 20:54 • Filed to: None

Just a heads up for my NYC Oppos. Just saw an unmarked Nissan Pathfinder with Connecticut plates pull someone over. This might not be new, but it's certainly new to me. From what I understood police can use unmarked cars of varying styles (minivan, coupe, SUV) to do their job but the cars they've always used have been registered and plated with NYS plates. Clearly this has changed.

This is both odd and to be frank a little scary because no longer can I look in my rear view and see a car with Arizona plates and think "Okay I can do 10 over on this highway" since it's now become a free for all.

Next they'll start using Canadian plates and I won't know if I'm getting a ticket or getting an apology for being pulled over.

DISCUSSION (34)

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Rico
02/05/2015 at 20:55

Are you sure it was a real cop? That seems sketchy as hell for a cop to be driving an Unmarked Japanese SUV with out of state tags.

Brian Silvestro > Rico
02/05/2015 at 20:56

that's pretty weird

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:01

Yeah, I would not pull over for that, if that happens, call 911 and verify that it is a real cop.

Funktheduck > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:04

They're also trying to get resisting arrest to be made a felony. You know, the charge they use to justify beating people. The same charge they used against a man who was subdued and was getting his face stomped on.

I'm never going back to NY.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:04

In MA unmarked cars are exempt from the front license plate rules.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:07

thats really bad.. my town has some seriously good undercovers now... a MINI Cooper, a Highlander with soccer mom stickers, 2 Prii, a Silverado, a riced Civic for street racing, and supposedly a landau topped Cadillac

Rico > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
02/05/2015 at 21:07

Definitely real, and they drive all kinds of marked vehicles from all makes and models. Actually there used to be a lot of NYPD Nissan Altimas:

Kinja'd!!!

Personally I've seen unmarked Infiniti M35s, G35xs, Camrys, Honda Accords, and a host of other non-American cars. BUT I've never seen them with out of State plates, I actually thought it was illegal until tonight.

Rico > Funktheduck
02/05/2015 at 21:08

I learned a long time ago you can be arrested for whatever they put down on that little piece of paper.

Rico > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
02/05/2015 at 21:10

You will get shot the fuck up, like I'm not even joking here. As soon as you come to a stop if you aren't beaten to an inch of your life, you are as good as dead. Maybe I would drive to the closest precinct, calling 911 will likely result in another charge of inappropriate use of an emergency line. It's hard to see the plates at night, I only saw because I was behind the Nissan.

wiffleballtony > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:10

Well not to worry about Arizona plates since they only issue rear plates no front plates.

Funktheduck > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:10

True. It's probably just because the news reports on it more because it's NY but it seems they seem to abuse power more than most places.

Rico > Brian Silvestro
02/05/2015 at 21:10

If I had a dash cam I would've posted a video, I was behind the Pathfinder when it happened.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:14

I've heard about the Altimas, but am still sketched out about the out of state tags.

Steve in Manhattan > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:17

Thankfully I rent a car 2-3 times a year and am too ... something, to hoon anything. Just need to get from A to B at this point.

Rico > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
02/05/2015 at 21:22

I'll be honest I am really really good at spotting undercover cops. Like I can spot them easily from 3-4 car lengths away when driving, more so when on foot and I can concentrate. This time took me off guard for the first time in many years, I was behind this car for a while and the CT plates really made me do a triple take. If I had a dash cam I would post the video.

Rico > wiffleballtony
02/05/2015 at 21:23

Perfect!

jkm7680 > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:25

Or a Police impersonator.

Rico > Steve in Manhattan
02/05/2015 at 21:38

...invested? Let's call it that!

Rico > jkm7680
02/05/2015 at 21:41

Perhaps, siren and built in lights in the tail lamps though so I assume it is legit. The car that was pulled over was an older Highlander and it was when we got off the highway so we were on a local street with tons of traffic, no hijinx tanking place there.

scoob > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:45

WHAT. This is actually really scary. What if we get pulled over by a Camry with Florida plates?!

jkm7680 > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:46

If you call NYPD, they'll probably tell you if it's legit or not.

Rico > scoob
02/05/2015 at 21:53

I don't know man, today was the first time in my life seeing this and it has truly made me think twice. My jaw dropped when I saw the lights come on. Like Archduke said I guess call 911, but to be completely honest 911 won't tell you if an unmarked police car is actually a police car even if it has sirens and lights on behind you.

Rico > jkm7680
02/05/2015 at 21:55

To be honest I don't think 911 will tell you if an unmarked police car is actually a police car. I told Archduke I would probably drive to the nearest precinct to be sure but that will likely result in an even worse situation because you are evading a police officer if it turns out legit.

No matter what you're going to jail and you'll have to plead your innocence to a judge.

jkm7680 > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:58

You could call them directly probably without 911. But I'm thinking they would let you know what's up by 911 or they'd transfer you.

scoob > Rico
02/05/2015 at 21:59

Why wouldn't they?

CodyVella > Rico
02/05/2015 at 22:02

I live in a small town in Ontario, Canada. And here aside from the standard Crown Vics, Tauruses, Tahoes and Explorers, they have several weird unmarked cruisers.

Ones I've seen thus far: '13-'14 Accord Sedan, '08-'12 Accord Sedan & Coupe, Honda Pilot, Acura ILX, Acura CSX, Ford Edge, Toyota Camry, Mazda 5.

The OPP also used to have several marked '07 Civic SI Coupes. Not sure if they still do.

Kinja'd!!!

As for the out of state plates, ehhh I'd be weary of that.

Rico > scoob
02/05/2015 at 22:02

They are unmarked for so the public does not know they are police officers until they are pulling you over. This I can promise you, if I see an unmarked car driving around that I know is a cop car if I call the precinct and say "Hey I see this suspicious car driving through my neighborhood, I think it's a cop but I'm not sure this is the license plate xxxxxxx" they are going to tell you to beat it.

Rico > jkm7680
02/05/2015 at 22:06

Directly as in call a precinct? They don't have access to that info, and who knows what precinct or zone the car is from since we are coming off a highway. And even so, you are driving can't exactly google it, as soon as you get to a red light they are going to get out and take you out by force.

The times I've called the precinct in non-emergency situations it's a machine "Press 1 for this, Press 2 for community affairs" a real person has never answered but I've left messages and gotten a call back a day or 2 later. 911 isn't going to have access to that info I can promise you if they did they wouldn't give it to you.

Rico > CodyVella
02/05/2015 at 22:07

This was a legit cop, I am positive of it.

CodyVella > Rico
02/05/2015 at 22:12

100% it most likely was.

I'm just saying, if I was driving, and someone in a Pathfinder with out of state plates tried to pull me over, I would spend the entire time thinking I'm about the get robbed.

scoob > Rico
02/05/2015 at 22:21

Yeah but that's different from when it's trying to pull you over.

Rico > CodyVella
02/05/2015 at 22:35

This is really making me reconsider what I would do in this situation.

Manny05x > Rico
02/05/2015 at 22:47

could have been marshals stopping somebody they are looking for. Da

Rico > Manny05x
02/05/2015 at 22:56

You're right, easily could've been Federal.