Off duty cop powers?

Von Smallhausen said:
I have only done it a couple of times in ten and a half years and even then it has been in exceptional circumstances. You are spot on in what you say.
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I've seen it once in 20 years with friends who are in the force, last New Years Eve and as you say exceptional circumstances. Last thing coppers want when they are on a social is to deal with yet more scum.
 
Not much could happen anyways could it, if there's no video evidence, then don't you need statements from 2 officers, rather than just one or some such?
 
iaind said:
Good point, but I've never once referred to them in real life as cops
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Me neither. In tabloid headlines these days it's COPS DO THIS or COPS DO THAT or MAN BITES COP, but not in actual speaking type talking.
I'm sure the Americans abbreviated 'copper' to 'cop' because it's easier to say in Americanese.

Anyway in the above situation it would be good to be able to show a genuine warrant card and ask the person if he wants to be done for impersonating an officer...
 
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NVP said:
They jumped out and said he was police and that he had patrol cars on the way, then flashed his wallet with a card in it, my mate thought he was blaggin because it didn't seem legit so did one home. Next thing you know he sees flashing blues going they way he just came from.

So now he's fretting it and wondering what's gonna happen.
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I'd suspect nothing will come of it in any official sense and that it's purely a coincidence he saw police cars heading the other way. If the patrol cars were really coming to the incident then why didn't they stop your mate on his way away from the area? The off-duty policeman would surely have informed his colleagues that your mate had left the scene and given a description of the car/registration plate so it's then a pretty simple matter to pull your mate over to the side of the road and have words as necessary.

Essentially it sounds like the off-duty policeman (if indeed he was) acted like a tool and was trying to scare your mate, your mate wasn't much better in having cut him up in revenge but he should just carry on with his life as if nothing happened and try not to get involved in tit-for-tat incidents like this.
 
Mucky_Pup said:
Not much could happen anyways could it, if there's no video evidence, then don't you need statements from 2 officers, rather than just one or some such?
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Corroboration is only needed on Scotland. In England and Wales the evidence would be presented to the court orally.

I agree with what iaind said, sounds like your mate was being a bit of a tool tbh.

If the other bloke had a radio with him and he was a cop, it would be more likely he was a plain clothes officer on duty than off duty officer taking his radio home.

Warrant cards differ greatly from police force to police force and officers working in office type roles often wear them on Lanyards.

Cop or no cop, I think your mate has learned a lesson....you never know who you are cutting up, cop or criminal - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/noye-admits-stabbing-on-the-m25-but-insists-that-he-killed-in-selfdefence-724180.html

Jack
 
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Thanks for the opinions guys but I'm inclined to think he definitly was police mainly for the fact police were waiting outside his house in a proper patrol car, but why they did not stop us or question us when we dropped his brother off I am not sure :confused:

I doubt he was an undercover though as he was in a Y reg e46 so it must have been his personal car, are there any instances where you would be on duty in your own personal vehicle?

My friend crashed at his girlfriends last night and said his brother will let him know if any officers come to the house, but without evidence (only the "officers" word) can anything be done? Any charges or just a ticking off?
 
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he wont say anything.

He'll be in the **** for using his personal car to stop traffic if he does. Especially if its to have a go at somebody on his own as part of a road rage incident.
 
But he didn't stop a car in traffic, the OP's mate stopped on his own accord. Look at what the OP said in the initial post.

Basically he got cut up badly by a y reg BMW
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An error on the BMW drivers behalf?

so he, being the type of guy he is did the same to the bimmer in his car
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An intentional action, depending on the seriousness of such one that could be considered/argued was a dangerous one or at least driving without due care?

Now the guy started following him proper close behind so my mate pulled over at UPS (he had to drop something off anyway) the guy pulls up behind him so my mate, in his ever so polite way asked what his problem was.
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Jumped out on the bounce maybe? Could be argued the OP's friend continued aggressive attitude?

If he is a cop he may decide just to leave it rather than commit it to paper or even pop round himself when he is next on duty to speak to your mate in person, give him the Gypsy's so to speak.

There are factors which I would suggest to me the chap wasn't a cop. However your mate needs to learn a lesson from this or next time he could face anything from penalty points and a fine to a ban or even a good hiding?

Tell him to just put it behind him and see what comes of it.

Jack
 
Meridian said:
My thoughts. A real copper would have shown the badge properly (but be warned: some force warrant cards are just laminated plastic; not all get the fancy old-style metal ones). The badge should have been in a special wallet with the face showing, so all he had to do was flip the wallet open. Did he? If he took a card out and waved it, or it was on a lanyard, it's rubbish.



M
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I wear my warrant card on a lanyard, so there :p (not police mind you)
 
Yeah I know my friend would have behaved quite aggressively and the "revenge" cut up was probably quite dangerous but I'm sure he's learnt his lesson from this. We'll just have to wait and see what comes of it I guess.

Thanks for the informed opinions guys, I'll let you know if he gets a visit but hoepfully if there is no evidence and just the guys word against his he can't be in too much trouble.
 
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