Impersonating a Police Officer?

[p71]

Okay heres the deal. I bought an Ex-Police Car from a Dealership who got it from a local Sheriff's office (Decommissioned and depoliced) for a good price (I needed a good car for cheap I am a college student). And since the Department too all the stuff out (Lights, Emblems, Search-light, antennas, even some OEM stuff), the dealer told me it was legal to drive.

However I was pulled over (First day driving it) and it was said I was impersonating a police officer and I needed to repaint it, or I would be arrested on a class C infraction. That the "Two-Tone Paint" wasn't legal HOWEVER it is THREE TONE Paint Scheme is. And I called my police department and asked if it was Legal, they said YES, now they are saying NO.
------------------
My Car (As-Is)

Real Police Car

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I know the car LOOKS like it but its not and everything was removed by the department does this mean they didn't do their job making it ready for sale like the law says? I surly don't have money to redo everything (Bill was $920 and the car only costs $1625).

I live in a small town in Indiana and it seems cops have little to do minus harass people (I'm not exaggerating).

IS THIS LEGAL As it was say by The Police, Dealer, and Local Police (Before they changed their minds?

----LAW SAYS:----
Disposal of law enforcement vehicles?**** Sec. 9. (a) If a purchasing agency disposes of a law enforcement vehicle that is a model year of 1994 or after and is painted in a color scheme of more than one (1) color by transferring the vehicle to:?********(1) a person who will operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person must repaint the vehicle in:?************(A) a monochrome color scheme; or?************(B) a color scheme that does not duplicate the color scheme of an Indiana law enforcement vehicle;?********before the vehicle is operated on a public highway in Indiana;?********(2) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person must repaint the vehicle in:?************(A) a monochrome color scheme; or?************(B) a color scheme that does not duplicate the color scheme of an Indiana law enforcement vehicle;?********before the vehicle is sold or otherwise transferred to the other person to be operated on a public highway in Indiana;?********(3) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will not operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person is not required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is sold or otherwise transferred to the other person; or?********(4) another governmental body, the governmental body is not
required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is operated on a public highway in Indiana.?****(b) Before a purchasing agency disposes of a law enforcement vehicle that is painted in a color scheme of more than one (1) color, the purchasing agency must provide a copy of this subsection to the prospective purchaser of the vehicle.?****(c) A person who violates this section commits a Class C infraction.

 

[p71]

oh and additionally they said (because I asked because it seem ridiculous) if I put it one color the same as our city police and put the city name on it on the car, and that would be LEGAL. (I asked for humor reasons and was SHOCKED to hear that)... Its it just bad luck or did the Department who sold it to the dealer (or even the dealer) drop the ball because it should have been repainted (if needed) by them (As law states)?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Sounds to me like the dealership broke the law by not repainting it before selling it. This is grounds for voiding the purchase contract between you and the dealership - you should be able to go back and get *all* your money back. Then the dealership will have to paint it before they sell it. See if you can get a police officer to accompany you back to the dealership along with a printout of the statute. (Do you have any friends on the force?)

You can negotiate with the dealership about repainting it and then you will keep the car. Obviously it cost them far less to repaint in their shop than it would cost you privately. Downside is you're likely to get a #*$*ty paint job out of it.

This is a no-win scenario for you, I would get my money back and walk away.

 

[p71]

I bought the car off eBay from a seller 1.45 hours from me, because I thought it would make a good reliable car. So driving down there (or even having a cop go with) wouldn't work to well.

Additionally the car SHOULD be Legal as it has 3 colors not 2 As stated above. And when I described it to the lady at the police department on the phone she said it sounded legal (before I bid on the car)

Still trying to think what I can do since I need the car for school on Monday, and I don't want to be arrested.

Sounds to me like the dealership broke the law by not repainting it before selling it. This is grounds for voiding the purchase contract between you and the dealership - you should be able to go back and get *all* your money back. Then the dealership will have to paint it before they sell it. See if you can get a police officer to accompany you back to the dealership along with a printout of the statute. (Do you have any friends on the force?)

You can negotiate with the dealership about repainting it and then you will keep the car. Obviously it cost them far less to repaint in their shop than it would cost you privately. Downside is you're likely to get a #*$*ty paint job out of it.

This is a no-win scenario for you, I would get my money back and walk away.

 

[Sun Baked]

Degreaser, sandpaper or 3M pads, tape, paper/plastic, and some $6 Duplicolor spraypaint cans.

Of course the Crown Vic is a lot of surface to cover.

Or clear the car up with the degreaser, sand it down and go to Maaco for their discount paint, usually a cut rate deal for paint like a Earl Shieb $250 paint or a lower price special in a Penny Saver with coupons.

Edit: Of course it is already Brown, tan, black, so some olive/khaki paint should become a camo paint scheme easily.

 

[p71]

I thought about that, but it hurts the resell value of the car. And parts on the car will still be 2 colored like trim, backside of car (parts that can't be redone or repainted) and I don't wanna drive a car with a million holes in it or something. Don't get me wrong I need transportation but don't wanna kill the whole value of the car... Interestingly enough the interior is two-tone brown, and I check its a STOCK Color that all Sheriffs in Indiana happen to use.

Ivory soap, sandpaper or 3M pads, tape, paper/plastic, and some $6 Duplicolor spraypaint cans.

Of course the Crown Vic is a lot of surface to cover.

Or clear the car up with the degreaser (dish soap), sand it down and go to Maaco for their discount paint, usually a cut rate deal for paint like a Earl Shieb $250 paint or a lower price special in a Penny Saver with coupons.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Sorry then - if you are vetoing going back to the dealer, getting a cheap paint job, or using decals/spray bombs, etc, then there is just nothing we can help you with.

Your excuse that it is 3, not 2 tones is not gonna fly with Johnny Trooper, cause your car obviously DOES look like a patrol car, however you want to spin it. Trying that smart@$$ line on the officer could result in a thousand ways to make your life miserable.

Take it back, repaint it, or become used to being pulled over and fined every second day for the rest of your college career.

 

[p71]

Sorry then - if you are vetoing going back to the dealer, getting a cheap paint job, or using decals/spray bombs, etc, then there is just nothing we can help you with.

Your excuse that it is 3, not 2 tones is not gonna fly with Johnny Trooper, cause your car obviously DOES look like a patrol car, however you want to spin it. Trying that smart@$$ line on the officer could result in a thousand ways to make your life miserable.

Take it back, repaint it, or become used to being pulled over and fined every second day for the rest of your college career.

Yeah I suppose but its sad that the legal system is that way where something apparently street legal isn't... I did expect to get pulled over because its a small town, of course I'd explain it. I may risk it, but the fact of being arrested isn't a happy one. Is there any way I can fight this without driving and getting pulled over and arrested?

I want to get a magnet made that says something like. "This isn't a Police Car" but thats prolly gonna cost a lot

 

[OllyW]

Yeah I suppose but its sad that the legal system is that way where something apparently street legal isn't... I did expect to get pulled over because its a small town, of course I'd explain it. I may risk it, but the fact of being arrested isn't a happy one. Is there any way I can fight this without driving and getting pulled over and arrested?

I want to get a magnet made that says something like. "This isn't a Police Car" but thats prolly gonna cost a lot

Have you tried phoning the dealer and explaining your situation?

They did state that the car was legal to drive and you have now found out that it obviously isn't. Hopefully they will be able to help you sort the problem.

 

[Sun Baked]

Take it back, repaint it, or become used to being pulled over and fined every second day for the rest of your college career.

Painting it yourself tan, or camo would likely be easiest and cost less than $100.

For a $1600 car, that will likely last until you graduate -- it is cheap and would likely do nothing to the resale value.

Since dealers usually offer "special" deals on trades that will make up for any lost value.

Edit: take off the push bar, go to pep boys and spend $20 on hubcaps, and pick up several cans of tan paint. And yes you will get hassled by the police a lot until you make it not look like a police car -- especially if you look like a punk.

After 10 years of driving a Crown Vic, I've never been hassled -- and you get nailed day one.

 

[p71]

I got PM'ed saying I should post on an officers website that would know. And they are all ******s. An officer replyed saying this:

"Then you are this:

Paint It. Or. Sell It"

It was a bit funny. But I was serious and didn't ask for jokes, I asked for law enforcement advice.

I will try to add something or paint something since the dealer is firm on AS-IS. I think that what they were asking was unreasonable as they wanted more then paint work done... Trim, bumpers, pushbar, etc... That reminds me the pushbar is welded on they frame or body so it can't be removed (Hence why the police didn't remove it). But if anyone things of anything else feel free to post, I am open to all ideas at this point while I think what to do.

 

[macman2790]

this is just plain rediculous. Let me guess, your from a small town? Small town cops are the worst.

 

[p71]

this is just plain rediculous. Let me guess, your from a small town? Small town cops are the worst.

YES!!! Finally someone gets it. Really small town + to many cops = Nothing for them to do = Me pulled over... I am gonna ask why the department sold it without making it street legal because that makes no sense!

 

[Sun Baked]

YES!!! Finally someone gets it. Really small town + to many cops = Nothing for them to do = Me pulled over... I am gonna ask why the department sold it without making it street legal because that makes no sense!

All the more reason to fix it, since you are now the departments newest toy.

Time to paint it yellow, and make like a taxi.

 

[p71]

All the more reason to fix it, since you are now the departments newest toy.

Time to paint it yellow, and make like a taxi.

lol. that would be funny. on a side note check this funny moive out:

Cops Parody

 

[Kwyjibo]

All the more reason to fix it, since you are now the departments newest toy.

Time to paint it yellow, and make like a taxi.

but then the livery commission would start issuing him fines and tickets ...

sadly you got a bad deal, the only way to rectify that is through the dealer, and you don't want to do that. you could always move out of the state of indiana ... that would be my first choice.

 

[p71]

I think selling the car at this point as-is with disclosure of the law is my best bet and get a cheap pos beater for winter time. Its unfortunate because its a such a nice car. Silly pointless laws...

 

[CanadaRAM]

I think selling the car at this point as-is with disclosure of the law is my best bet and get a cheap pos beater for winter time. Its unfortunate because its a such a nice car. Silly pointless laws...

No, because the law as pasted above seems to state that you have to repaint before selling it, which is what the dealership did wrong in the first place.

You seem to have the idea that you can challenge a law if you don't agree with it ... that rarely if ever works.

And in this case it is far fom being a stupid law - you have a car that to 80% of the population they will think is a police vehicle on first glance. There's plenty of good reasons why that's not a good thing.

 

[p71]

No, because the law as pasted above seems to state that you have to repaint before selling it, which is what the dealership did wrong in the first place.

You seem to have the idea that you can challenge a law if you don't agree with it ... that rarely if ever works.

And in this case it is far fom being a stupid law - you have a car that to 80% of the population they will think is a police vehicle on first glance. There's plenty of good reasons why that's not a good thing.

Reselling the car (on eBay for example) falls under this:
---
(3) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will not operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person is not required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is sold or otherwise transferred to the other person; or
(4) another governmental body, the governmental body is not required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is operated on a public highway in Indiana.
(b) Before a purchasing agency disposes of a law enforcement vehicle that is painted in a color scheme of more than one (1) color, the purchasing agency must provide a copy of this subsection to the prospective purchaser of the vehicle.
---

And so long as I give them the law info (if they are in Indiana) its is fully legal for me to sell or even to a police department. At this point it seems everyone things its pointless to keep the car and fight the law (because of color change), I think its best to sell the car.

At this point I should have bought that dang little Geo Metro Rust Box for the same price

 

[CanadaRAM]

Reselling the car (on eBay for example) falls under this:
---
(3) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will not operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person is not required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is sold or otherwise transferred to the other person; or
(4) another governmental body, the governmental body is not required to repaint the vehicle before the vehicle is operated on a public highway in Indiana.
(b) Before a purchasing agency disposes of a law enforcement vehicle that is painted in a color scheme of more than one (1) color, the purchasing agency must provide a copy of this subsection to the prospective purchaser of the vehicle.
---

And so long as I give them the law info (if they are in Indiana) its is fully legal for me to sell or even to a police department. At this point it seems everyone things its pointless to keep the car and fight the law (because of color change), I think its best to sell the car.

At this point I should have bought that dang little Geo Metro Rust Box for the same price

I think you are selectively reading the statute incorrectly

Section 9 (4) does not apply to you because you are not a government body. Subsections are subsiduary to the section they are in. You can't pull out one point (b) and apply it to a differenct section.

If you ship it out of state, you are correct, you don't have to paint it (but you hadn't mentioned that when you said you'd sell it).

Section 9 (2) applies to you, and it pretty clearly says if you sell it within Indiana you must paint it first.

"(2) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person must repaint the vehicle in:
(A) a monochrome color scheme; or
(B) a color scheme that does not duplicate the color scheme of an Indiana law enforcement vehicle;
before the vehicle is sold"

Point of fact, the posters here are NOT saying it's pointless to keep the car and you must sell it, they are saying Paint the Car for $250 and keep it OR return it to the dealership. We ARE saying your fixation with fighting the law is pointless.

I can't understand why you would be willing to sell it out of state, yet not willing to drive 1:45 to get your money back on the original, illegal sale (unless of course you bought it out of state in the first place, so the dealership had no obligation to follow Indiana law. Your bad on re-importing it in that case.)

 

[decksnap]

This must vary state to state. A guy has one sitting in front of my house right now that is a two-toned crown vic. Though it actually has a black & white scheme.

 

[p71]

I think you are selectively reading the statute incorrectly

Section 9 (4) does not apply to you because you are not a government body. Subsections are subsiduary to the section they are in. You can't pull out one point (b) and apply it to a differenct section.

If you ship it out of state, you are correct, you don't have to paint it (but you hadn't mentioned that when you said you'd sell it).

Section 9 (2) applies to you, and it pretty clearly says if you sell it within Indiana you must paint it first.

"(2) a person who will sell or otherwise transfer the vehicle to another person who will operate the vehicle on a public highway in Indiana, the person must repaint the vehicle in:
(A) a monochrome color scheme; or
(B) a color scheme that does not duplicate the color scheme of an Indiana law enforcement vehicle;
before the vehicle is sold"

Point of fact, the posters here are NOT saying it's pointless to keep the car and you must sell it, they are saying Paint the Car for $250 and keep it OR return it to the dealership. We ARE saying your fixation with fighting the law is pointless.

I can't understand why you would be willing to sell it out of state, yet not willing to drive 1:45 to get your money back on the original, illegal sale (unless of course you bought it out of state in the first place, so the dealership had no obligation to follow Indiana law. Your bad on re-importing it in that case.)

In any case here is the underlining problem.

I can't take the car in to the dealer they said its as-is, and they won't even repaint it, cops said I need to hire a lawyer to take action with that (that means money. Also its more then just a paint job, there will be parts of the car that can't be on there anymore (Trim, Rear Back Side of Trunk Lid) and more, and its getting up there on the miles, the cops are unreasonable and taking the law to a extreme, I don't want problems, I think selling may be the best way to correct the problem.

And also why would a car that at first glance looks like a police car be a bad thing? Just wondering. I do see lots of Ex-police cars (Non-Sheriff / Two Tone ones) on the road, some have antennas, and even lights (Changed to clear/amber). Seems odd.

 

[p71]

This must vary state to state. A guy has one sitting in front of my house right now that is a two-toned crown vic. Though it actually has a black & white scheme.

Yeah, that is true each state has their own rules on that. But I suppose he might not be allowed to have it and never was told, depending how the cops are in your area. And if the car is a later model. MANY MANY Ex-Police Cars on the road some are hard to spot, but there out there, and I suppose its just me and bad luck I don't know but I am sure I can sell it if nothing and and make my big bucks back

 

[Zmmyt]

..., they said YES, now they are saying NO.

ACAB!

But that's an ugly police car. Is anyone taking the police serious when they are cruising around in those brown things?

 

[CanadaRAM]

And also why would a car that at first glance looks like a police car be a bad thing? Just wondering. I do see lots of Ex-police cars (Non-Sheriff / Two Tone ones) on the road, some have antennas, and even lights (Changed to clear/amber). Seems odd.

Still looking for validation that you are right and the law is an ass, huh?

OK:
1) I'm driving down the highway on a rainly night. A car passes me and signals that I should pull over. No way am I about to do that, but it's a patrol car by the looks of it, must be a ghost car or something, so I pull over. Two guys get out, I say "can I help you officer?" and they say "Yeah sucker, out of the car and give me all your money. This is a stickup."

2) Citizen is getting assaulted, she sees a 'patrol car' on the street and runs for it "Help! I'm being attacked!" "Geez, sorry lady I'm not a cop, I can't do anything for you."

The law is the law. Unless you want to challenge it in court, it's a losing game to try and argue your way out of it based on your limited understanding.

"As-is" does not trump legal requirements. You'd win the small claims court action agaist the dealer.

You say don't want problems ... then make sure you paint it before selling it in state. I'd take the nerf bars off it too. That screams "police vehicle".