A recent drive on the 15 North in San Diego, California, turned tense when a gray Dodge Durango started tailing a local motorist. The victim reported that the SUV swerved dangerously. Then the other driver activated colored lights in an attempt to force them off the road. Suspicious of the heavily tinted windows and unusual lighting, the alarmed driver called 911.
They quickly learned that the Durango wasn’t an actual police car.
San Diego police explained that real officers (whether in marked or unmarked vehicles) must display specific lighting during a pursuit or stop
They have to use a solid red light visible from the front, often on a bar atop the car. They also need to turn on a siren.
Most patrols stick to black-and-white vehicles. Unmarked cars, including those driven by detectives or command staff, follow the same rules…