How to Spot Undercover Cops and Unmarked Police Cars
Officers and agents will hide themselves for a variety of reasons, from capturing speeders to infiltrating extremist political groups to prevent the kidnapping of state governors . It is often difficult to recognize undercover cops, but there are some clues, so here is a rough guide to identifying cops dressed as civilians and police cars dressed as ordinary cars.
Your local police department probably doesn’t advertise what cars and disguises they use for covert or unmarked police work. I reached out to the LAPD to discuss the questions with them, but of course they answered, “We do not disclose any tactical information, and these questions fall into this category,” so no information on how to detect incognito cops. there will be no “official” obviously.
Difference between plainclothes and undercover cops, and unmarked and undercover cars
Plainclothes law enforcement officers and undercover law enforcement officers are different things. Plainclothes police are any police officers who do not wear traditional uniforms: detectives, other investigators, and administrative officers. This applies to almost any employee who is not in public and answers calls. They do not necessarily hide their police status, even if they do not advertise it.
Undercover cops, though, are actively hiding their police affiliation. They are often part of larger investigations, which may involve infiltrating criminal organizations or merging with crowds at rallies.
A similar distinction applies to “unmarked” police cars and “secret” police cars. The first is any law enforcement vehicle that does not outwardly bear the markings of its department. It can include everything from cars designed to covertly follow traffic rules to cars that detectives drive while investigating crimes or collect donuts. These cars often have signs that they belong to law enforcement, even if they are elusive. There is no indication on the undercover car that it is a police car – even if you looked into the glove box, you would find the usual car insurance and registration information.
How to spot an unmarked police car
There are roughly 18,000 police agencies in the United States, and they use all kinds of vehicles for a wide variety of purposes, from Dodge Chargers designed to catch speeders to Florida police trucks and public relations vehicles like this hot pink breast cancer. Explorer awareness my local 5-0 has been driving lately. So spotting an unmarked police car is bullshit, but there are some stats that an unmarked police cruiser can tell you.
Number plates
Unmarked police cars may have municipal or tax-exempt tags, but they do not have to externally indicate their status on their license plates. They may also lack registration decals, which are required in some states. It depends on the department. It won’t matter much when they pull you anyway.
Make and model
It used to be easier to spot an unmarked police car – just look for a black Crown Victoria – but these days cops can drive anything from pickups to federal-subsidized mini-tanks . However, the most popular police cars in the US and Canada are :
- 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV (front and four wheel drive)
- 2021 Dodge Charger Pursuit (AWD & RWD)
- 2021 Dodge Durango Pursuit
- 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Based on 2020 Ford Explorer)
- 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder
It is fair to assume that these are the five types of vehicles that the police are most likely to drive around unmarked.
Certain police equipment
Unmarked police vehicles often carry the same additional equipment as regular police vehicles. This could mean headlights on the grille or side mirrors, dark tints on the windows, and a cage-like “push bumper” over the front bumper. Old police cars can have a ton of antennas too, although technology has usually made such arrays unnecessary.
Currently, it is quite difficult to locate a discovered police car.
With the exception of a terrible undercover officer, law-abiding citizens probably won’t notice an undercover police car. These vehicles have been specially selected to suit the operations being performed. They can literally be anything from expensive supercars to barely working racers.
How to recognize an undercover cop
According to this article published by the Stanford Law Review , the police typically conduct covert operations when investigating crimes that involve “covert, complex and concerted action.” Crimes such as methamphetamine making, bribery, and dog fighting. The police also infiltrate political demonstrations and organizations – perhaps to provide subtle protection in a situation where uniforms will provoke anger or perhaps act as provocateurs – depending on who you ask.
Those infiltrating political events or organizations may be experienced and talented supercars under deep cover, or they may be fake Hasidic Jews who are not fooling anyone. There are many stories of activists reporting overt police officers attending the protests . Here are some tips on how to spot them.
- Weird Couples : There’s a reason so many cop buddy movies are based on partners who are opposites – it really does happen. Therefore, if you see a couple of people who do not look like they should be together, say, with a great age or cultural difference between them, it could indicate narcs in the ranks.
- Awkward and Inappropriate : This is definitely not reliable, but a person looking out of context, say a 40-year-old with a short haircut standing on a heavy metal show, might be a law enforcement officer. (Or it could be an old man who likes loud music.)
- Inappropriate questions : Be vigilant when talking to strangers in a situation that may involve undercover cops. If a new guy at a political meeting starts asking when the bombs will start throwing, he could be a police officer. Or it can prevent the throwing of bombs. It’s pretty hazy.
You can also pay attention to how they look. None of these outward signs are sure indicators of a police officer, but they should make you wary a little:
- Haircuts : Police often have stricter grooming standards than ordinary people, so a discreet short haircut could be a sign that the police are undercover.
- Sweatshirts : Some activists report that cops like to wear sweatshirts at protests, when hardcore protesters usually don’t advertise their love for the Yankees through clothing.
- Cargo pants : Police officers need to carry a bunch of equipment with them, and so are often cargo-style sports shorts with many pockets for nightclubs and tasers.
- Shoes : Look for hiking boots or military-style shoes, especially when paired with the aforementioned sports jersey – this look will only please a police officer.
Trouble trying to find undercover cops
This post is for informational purposes only. Detecting cops is a science inaccurate and the stakes are high – even if you see a dude show up at your 2021 Challenger protest with a new haircut and a pair of cargo pants, he could be your average suburban guy interested in radical politics. , or a police officer on duty hired by the organizers of the rally to ensure security. Conversely, since cops are not (necessarily) idiots, they may not have any of the above traits and look more like belonging to you than you are.
If you are doing something organized, illegal, or politically controversial, chances are good that someone around you is watching, and the depressing fact is that there is little you can do about it. Undercover cops have incredible leeway in what they can do, to the point of committing crimes on their own , so aside from warning other people to look out for someone sketchy, the best thing you can do is keep your nose clean.