strange policeman

[Donna D.]

while the badges are uniquely numbered (I assume in most places).

Not in Portland, OR...ours say "Officer." When someone requests an officers badge number, what they really want is the Oregon State Bureau of Police Standards and Training Number.

Thankfully, eBay refuses auctions for any police badge that may be in current use (collectors badges are few and far between), they carefully check any auction for any badge of "normal" size, mostly you'll see patches and tie-tacks up on auction.

[Roger H]

This is not correct!
"Maggie... and all...
first, local cops don't have a whit more authority under all of the homeland security acts than they did without them. the hoopla is over what the feds can do without a warrant. that's a whole different ballgame."
It's a sure thing that most Americans believed that Homeland Security and the Patriot Act were initiated in the best interest of citizens. Believe it or not, every policeman, sherriff, government security people and even some industrial security personel were given the right to use lethal force for the least of reasons, and not be questioned! This has already happened in some cases, and even the killing of one of their own because he had a gun and wasn't in uniform. Common sense and justice can not always be at the exit end of a weapon or we are all in trouble!

Sorry Renee, but I believe you may be misinformed. I don't intend to start a political discussion here, but suffice it to say that local law enforcement was not in the mind of Congress when the Patriot Act was passed, and it did NOT include the right for your local gendarmes to use lethal force at whim. That has not changed. The Patriot Act is so voluminous and convoluted that no one, even four years later, really has a handle on all of it, but it has primarily to do with intelligence gathering capabilities and what's required as burden of proof for probable cause to obtain information that used to require a search warrant and now only requires the signature of the U.S. Attorney General. That's why the Senate is in discussions regarding how much is appropriate to keep and how much needs to go.

Roger

[Randya]

I would have called the department, and still would to confirm it to make sure there are no imposters!

[Gigi]

Maggie, I am so glad that you did not escort this person to any place. It all sounds so odd to me. Why, I can't imagine any police officer wouldn't just go the the tracks and follow it. Why on earth would he have to ask you where the tracks are anyway?

You are absolutely right in asking for his identification and I absolutely think you should call your sheriffs office or police department, tell them what happened and see if they had a staff person in your area that night. I would also ask for that person's supervisor and inform them that this person refused to show you any ID. You should also rethink about opening the door to anyone until you see ID's.

I know of a young woman who was pulled over by a phony cop and was raped.

You must be careful and protect yourself. This may all be innocent, but, again, it mayn't not.

[Steve L.]

By the way, I carry a relatively inexpensive scanner with which I can monitor most jurisdictions. A scanner is both "entertaining" and informative. Good to have on trips, too, for exacting weather reports and road conditions. On two occasions so far, I was able to pull into the breakdown lane when I knew a high speed pursuit was coming up behind me on the Interestate. It helps some on road closures and backups, too, but the old CB seems better suited for that.

A note of caution; In our state, you need permission to carry a scanner in the car. There are required forms. It's not universally allowed in all states. (I'm not talking about transporting it home after purchase, although even that causes problems.)