2017 Explorer Civilian front head lights

[VCFP153]

Again, not telling you what to do, but I'll give you my 2 cents based on experience. Don't rely on what a cop may tell you. They don't need to know the law or even provide correct info to you. They do what they do and leave it to the da to clean up any messes they might make along the way. Read the law and consult with an attorney or ask your state rep. Also, read the links I gave you about this as others made the same claims in them about being given the same bad info by the police.

If you haven't heard this saying, it's an oldie but a goodie. You may beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride. Best of luck.

CHP ain't exactly Farmington PD, they've got much bigger fish to fry than a silver Explorer with a spotlight.

 

[chaos12135]

Do you drink coffee or do you "take tea, my dear"?

I don’t really like coffee to be honest, I prefer neither though as well, but if I had to drink one it would be tea, lol

 

[edougawa]

CHP ain't exactly Farmington PD, they've got much bigger fish to fry than a silver Explorer with a spotlight.

Just like they don’t have time for someone speeding 100+mph on the freeway. And tons of retired CVIPs and FPIs are already out on the road that still panda color with decals removed.

I have seen news someone driving a jeep try to pull people over though.

 

[KayGee]

Some of the advice in this thread is reckless and stupid.

Just because other people did something against the law and didn't get in trouble, is not a viable defense strategy to fight a ticket or arrest.

Law enforcement can be fickle. What is fine one minute isn't the next, and what may be no big deal in one town could be in another. Everyone has much bigger fish to fry until they don't.

 

[edougawa]

Some of the advice in this thread is reckless and stupid.

Just because other people did something against the law and didn't get in trouble, is not a viable defense strategy to fight a ticket or arrest.

Law enforcement can be fickle. What is fine one minute isn't the next, and what may be no big deal in one town could be in another. Everyone has much bigger fish to fry until they don't.

You are right. And that’s exactly why I said in my very first reply regarding this says “not legal advice”. Some of my reply are just joke and I feel sorry if anyone feel offended.

And let’s be serious about it, the small plate on our liftgates saying “Police Interceptor” are enough to get us into trouble. Also the spot light (which is legal to be installed, but not allowed to be operated on public road almost under all circumstances), let alone that the department I bought from left ton of strobes installed (although they cut the wires, the lights are still alive). Oh don’t forget the Whelen PTW option, which is also technically illegal under CVC.

So here are the points
1) Check the code before any modification. If not sure, ask a lawyer or stop.
2) Even something comes with the vehicle when you purchase it, it might still be illegal to be used / or even installed in your vehicle. Something might have to be removed to pass vehicle verification.
3) If still worry about getting into trouble, don’t buy a PIU at the first place.

 

[Eltee]

I work for media/press in California, and I “upgraded” from a 2009 Crown Vic, and I just liked all the features that the Vic offered, which I got accustomed to. I did not get a real utility, I got something that IMO is better than a utility, and is more comfortable.

I noticed the Ca. Press plates on your cool looking Exp, are you a stringer or working for a local / network agency? When I was on midnight patrol I used to hang out a lot with the stringers and some network newsies, all nice and friendly and good to have a late, late night coffee or snack with. Helped a couple get their police "press pass" ID cards.

Curious what make/model spotlight you added, is it the PIU standard LED? Our PIUs have LEDs which are not as bright or far reaching as the old "aircraft" landing light bulbed spotlights our old cop cars had. We spend a lot of time semi-off road in my '13 EXP XLT and I am considering adding a spot light but wondered if the pillar is reinforced on the PIU for that light.

 

[Eltee]

CA has some screwy laws about people driving vehicles that may be confused for police vehicles. Not telling you what to do, but you may want to cover your ass and make sure you don't run afoul of any CA laws that may cause you issues. Best of luck.

Questions about driving a Black & White former PD car in California - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

Best Buy forced to redesign its fleet of black and white VW Beetles after CHP complains they look too much like patrol cars

Been a California cop since the 80's and spent a lot of midnight shifts with newsies, both indy stringers and network folks. Cops, even the CHP, are fairly lenient with newsies. Many, esp. indys, ride in former cop cars if not in a new crew van due to them having the space, durability, etc. for driving all day / night in town and with the special Press Photographer (PP) license plates they're immediately ID'd as newsies and not wannabes.

Yes, we have laws that prohibit someone making their car "look" like a cop car but that originated a long time ago due to a pizza delivery service in Southern California called "New York Pizza Delivery" that painted their cars to look like an ... NYPD cruiser. Go figure. Anyway, there should be no problem here.

 

[edougawa]

Been a California cop since the 80's and spent a lot of midnight shifts with newsies, both indy stringers and network folks. Cops, even the CHP, are fairly lenient with newsies. Many, esp. indys, ride in former cop cars if not in a new crew van due to them having the space, durability, etc. for driving all day / night in town and with the special Press Photographer (PP) license plates they're immediately ID'd as newsies and not wannabes.

Yes, we have laws that prohibit someone making their car "look" like a cop car but that originated a long time ago due to a pizza delivery service in Southern California called "New York Pizza Delivery" that painted their cars to look like an ... NYPD cruiser. Go figure. Anyway, there should be no problem here.

NYPD... that’s a fun episode I don’t know about.

 

[Eltee]

NYPD... that’s a fun episode I don’t know about.

It's what triggered the original "lookalike police car" restrictions.

The original poster has "PP" plates (which are not easy to acquire) and probably a police press pass ID card plus his own good conduct should keep him from being treated as a wannabe.

It's No Lights for N.Y.P.D. Pizza Cars Under Assembly Bill

 

[edougawa]

It's what triggered the original "lookalike police car" restrictions.

The original poster has "PP" plates (which are not easy to acquire) and probably a police press pass ID card plus his own good conduct should keep him from being treated as a wannabe.

It's No Lights for N.Y.P.D. Pizza Cars Under Assembly Bill

Thanks for the link.


I’m curious did they get into trouble in New York

 

[VCFP153]

Some of the advice in this thread is reckless and stupid.

Just because other people did something against the law and didn't get in trouble, is not a viable defense strategy to fight a ticket or arrest.

Law enforcement can be fickle. What is fine one minute isn't the next, and what may be no big deal in one town could be in another. Everyone has much bigger fish to fry until they don't.

Life is fickle. On top of that, nobody survives.

 

[KayGee]

Been a California cop since the 80's and spent a lot of midnight shifts with newsies, both indy stringers and network folks. Cops, even the CHP, are fairly lenient with newsies. Many, esp. indys, ride in former cop cars if not in a new crew van due to them having the space, durability, etc. for driving all day / night in town and with the special Press Photographer (PP) license plates they're immediately ID'd as newsies and not wannabes.

Yes, we have laws that prohibit someone making their car "look" like a cop car but that originated a long time ago due to a pizza delivery service in Southern California called "New York Pizza Delivery" that painted their cars to look like an ... NYPD cruiser. Go figure. Anyway, there should be no problem here.

Nothing personal, that's why I said what I said. Cops can be fickle. Everything's good, right up until it isn't. I am a firearm enthusiast and have shot with a fair number of cops (local, state, and feds). Some are good guys that generally understand the laws. Others are tools that try to hassle people at ranges and try to jam them up because they don't like the idea of any civilian owning certain things - legal or not.

The last person I would trust for any sort of legal advice is a cop, any cop. Best bet is to always know where the line is and understand if you want to cross it or not, and what the potential consequences may be. Like I said, just because someone is turning a blind eye to something one day, doesn't mean that action will continue the next.

 

[chaos12135]

I noticed the Ca. Press plates on your cool looking Exp, are you a stringer or working for a local / network agency? When I was on midnight patrol I used to hang out a lot with the stringers and some network newsies, all nice and friendly and good to have a late, late night coffee or snack with. Helped a couple get their police "press pass" ID cards.

Curious what make/model spotlight you added, is it the PIU standard LED? Our PIUs have LEDs which are not as bright or far reaching as the old "aircraft" landing light bulbed spotlights our old cop cars had. We spend a lot of time semi-off road in my '13 EXP XLT and I am considering adding a spot light but wondered if the pillar is reinforced on the PIU for that light.

Yes, I am a stringer for a local news agency, and I do also have the county press pass for the county of Los Angeles.

To my knowledge, Unity is the only company that makes spotlights, as for CHP they use older halogen that they have recycled from their crown vics. As for the spotlight and it's pillar, they are designed for 2011-2019 (2020) Ford Explorers. Just to let you know on a well known secret, all Explorers are actually designed as Interceptors, they have the same pre-cut outs and everything, they're obviously just missing the things that are added on after,
Welcome to Unity Manufacturing Co. - A Bright Idea for any Vehicle!

Nothing personal, that's why I said what I said. Cops can be fickle. Everything's good, right up until it isn't. I am a firearm enthusiast and have shot with a fair number of cops (local, state, and feds). Some are good guys that generally understand the laws. Others are tools that try to hassle people at ranges and try to jam them up because they don't like the idea of any civilian owning certain things - legal or not.

The last person I would trust for any sort of legal advice is a cop, any cop. Best bet is to always know where the line is and understand if you want to cross it or not, and what the potential consequences may be. Like I said, just because someone is turning a blind eye to something one day, doesn't mean that action will continue the next.

I always recommend people to do their own research, use good judgement, and seek advice from others who have experience to design a well formulated conclusion.

 

[KayGee]

I always recommend people to do their own research, use good judgement, and seek advice from others who have experience to design a well formulated conclusion.

As do I, but that's basic common sense when making decisions on things like where to go for dinner, what movie to see, what product to buy, how a company is to work for, and so on. Ask for advice and parse it for value.

Legal advice is a different animal. Read the law and seek advice from a lawyer and/or your state rep/Congress critter if you need clarification on any laws.

 

[KayGee]

Just thought I'd post up about an interesting story that happened in MI recently. From what I've heard in news reports, the guy did not appear to actually be impersonating a cop. He caught the attention of the sheriff that happened to be out driving in the same area and eventually pulled him over, and that's where it turned into a bit of a $hitshow. News media has been quoting LE about how the "police interceptor" badge is "illegal", as are push bars, yellow and white emergency lighting, laptop mount in the car, as well as "certain" decals and other stuff.

Oakland County's Michael Bouchard pulls over alleged fake cop: 'I'm the sheriff'

See photos of the fake cop car pulled over by Oakland County Sheriff

The guy didn't help himself after the stop and apparently made some dumb statements, but I think the loaded gun in the vehicle without a license to carry and the large knife are going to be somewhat problematic. Anyway, I'm sure this won't be the end of this story as LE/media are asking people to come forward if they have ever been stopped or harassed by the guy in question. It appears he was charged with using illegal oscillating blue lights reserved for police officers in Michigan - I haven't checked all news reports to see if there were any other charges, but front window tint is also illegal in MI and he had that, so there may be other charges.

You can judge for yourself on the color of the lights, but the original news video I saw on tv was clearly white/yellow strobes. The video posted online makes the visor strobes appear to be slightly blue (like a cold white) and yellow. I'm guessing they are white and it is just the color balance in the pics/video as the strobes on the sheriffs Yukon are clearly blue and yellow.

Anyway, enjoy and stay safe out there...

 

[edougawa]

Just thought I'd post up about an interesting story that happened in MI recently. From what I've heard in news reports, the guy did not appear to actually be impersonating a cop. He caught the attention of the sheriff that happened to be out driving in the same area and eventually pulled him over, and that's where it turned into a bit of a $hitshow. News media has been quoting LE about how the "police interceptor" badge is "illegal", as are push bars, yellow and white emergency lighting, laptop mount in the car, as well as "certain" decals and other stuff.

Oakland County's Michael Bouchard pulls over alleged fake cop: 'I'm the sheriff'

See photos of the fake cop car pulled over by Oakland County Sheriff

The guy didn't help himself after the stop and apparently made some dumb statements, but I think the loaded gun in the vehicle without a license to carry and the large knife are going to be somewhat problematic. Anyway, I'm sure this won't be the end of this story as LE/media are asking people to come forward if they have ever been stopped or harassed by the guy in question. It appears he was charged with using illegal oscillating blue lights reserved for police officers in Michigan - I haven't checked all news reports to see if there were any other charges, but front window tint is also illegal in MI and he had that, so there may be other charges.

You can judge for yourself on the color of the lights, but the original news video I saw on tv was clearly white/yellow strobes. The video posted online makes the visor strobes appear to be slightly blue (like a cold white) and yellow. I'm guessing they are white and it is just the color balance in the pics/video as the strobes on the sheriffs Yukon are clearly blue and yellow.

Anyway, enjoy and stay safe out there...

That’s basically what I’ve said in previous post. There are a lot of things on a PI are in a grey zone and if a cop decided he want some entertaining / harassment, he can always find a cause. There was a debate (which didn’t concluded) about the legilimency of the PI badge, and the push bar (which technically isn’t illegal as many other car models had it, they just doesn’t looks like the cop’s one). There was court fight that the judge thrown out the charges, but still ordered the car owner to remove the equipment (in that case was an amber light bar inside the rear window).

In the story you mentioned, I guess more of the problem is after having a probable cause stopping the driver, the cops did found stuffs that’s illegal, which made the situation far worse than an average PI driver.

As for the color issue, I’m not familiar with MI laws but down here any color of strobe could get ones in trouble, even if it is white/amber (unless otherwise exempted by the law like garbage trucks, road workers, UPS etc). It cannot be turned on in any situation other than distress call, and the laws required them to be covered on public road when not being used (no one is enforcing, but they “can” if they decided to). By the way, laptop is also banned while driving.

I’m having a hard time finding a bumper guard for my PIU that doesn’t looks like the cops one (I always scratched my front bumper for some reason), it would be great if anyone has a suggestion.

EDITED
I watched the posted video and the guy obviously put decals and signs that makes his car looks like a cop car. And with all the strobe and other stuff, I think he deserved being charged.

 

[peterk9]

In Ontario, if you see flashing blue lights behind you and pull over it means your pulling over for a snowplow.
I agree that the guy went a little too far to make his Explorer look like a police vehicle.

Peter

 

[VCFP153]

Just thought I'd post up about an interesting story that happened in MI recently. From what I've heard in news reports, the guy did not appear to actually be impersonating a cop. He caught the attention of the sheriff that happened to be out driving in the same area and eventually pulled him over, and that's where it turned into a bit of a $hitshow. News media has been quoting LE about how the "police interceptor" badge is "illegal", as are push bars, yellow and white emergency lighting, laptop mount in the car, as well as "certain" decals and other stuff.

Oakland County's Michael Bouchard pulls over alleged fake cop: 'I'm the sheriff'

See photos of the fake cop car pulled over by Oakland County Sheriff

The guy didn't help himself after the stop and apparently made some dumb statements, but I think the loaded gun in the vehicle without a license to carry and the large knife are going to be somewhat problematic. Anyway, I'm sure this won't be the end of this story as LE/media are asking people to come forward if they have ever been stopped or harassed by the guy in question. It appears he was charged with using illegal oscillating blue lights reserved for police officers in Michigan - I haven't checked all news reports to see if there were any other charges, but front window tint is also illegal in MI and he had that, so there may be other charges.

You can judge for yourself on the color of the lights, but the original news video I saw on tv was clearly white/yellow strobes. The video posted online makes the visor strobes appear to be slightly blue (like a cold white) and yellow. I'm guessing they are white and it is just the color balance in the pics/video as the strobes on the sheriffs Yukon are clearly blue and yellow.

Anyway, enjoy and stay safe out there...

When I first got into EMS. we called guys like that whackers. They would be the ones putting Streethawk lightbars on their 10-year-old Escort wagons. This genius is just a modern version of that. They also inspired me to become the ultimate "anti-whacker". I now own no fewer than 3 late-model police vehicles, none of which much look the part, and only one of which has the "Police Interceptor" emblem. No lights, no antennas, no pushbars, only barely visible EMT decals on the inside of rearmost side windows.