ISP Offers Tips to Keep Public Safe

Joe Hornaday

Nov. 9, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- A two-pronged preemptive strike against scams and perilous traffic stops is being offered to citizens by the Indiana State Police.

Every day, thousands of traffic stops are made in Indiana by legitimate police officers who are simply doing their sworn duty, ISP Sgt. Noel Houze explained. On occasion, a person impersonating a police officer comes to the attention of law enforcement and the public after performing a bogus traffic stop or falsely representing themselves as a public servant.

According to Indiana Code, a person who falsely represents that he or she is a public servant, with intent to mislead and induce another person to submit to false official authority or otherwise to act to the other person's detriment in reliance on the false representation, commits impersonation of a public servant, a Class A Misdemeanor. However, a person who falsely represents him or herself as a law enforcement officer, or an agent or employee of the department of state revenue and collects any property from another person; commits a Class D Felony. Indiana Code further states that a law enforcement officer may not arrest or issue a traffic information and summons to a person for a violation of an Indiana law regulating the use and operation of a motor vehicle on an Indiana highway or an ordinance of a city or town regulating the use and operation of a motor vehicle on an Indiana highway unless at the time of the arrest the officer is: wearing a distinctive uniform and a badge of authority, or operating a motor vehicle that is clearly marked as a police vehicle, that will clearly show the officer or the officer's vehicle to casual observations to be an officer or a police vehicle. This section does not apply to an officer making a traffic arrest when there is a uniformed officer present at the time of the arrest. An officer in an unmarked vehicle must be wearing a distinctive uniform and badge of authority or have another uniformed officer present in order to make a traffic stop and issue a traffic citation. This law does not prohibit an officer in a fully marked police vehicle from making a traffic stop while in civilian attire.

Sgt. Houze and the ISP are offering some tips to follow for drivers who may question the officer who has stopped them, and they include: stopping in a well-lighted and populated area; locking the car doors and only rolling the windows down enough so you can communicate; asking for the officer's identification; not leaving the vehicle unless the driver is sure the person is a legitimate officer; and calling 911 and giving the dispatcher the car's location.

For those still concerned about stopping, the ISP suggests driving the speed limit with the emergency flashers on to attract attention and proceeding safely to a location where the driver feels comfortable or until they have observed a second police car.

In addition to the traffic stop update, the ISP is also looking to make Decatur County residents aware of another potential scam looking to con citizens. This one has been reported in at least 11 different states.

The new scam involves a phone call from a person claiming to be a "jury coordinator" from the particular jurisdiction. The caller tells the potential victim that they failed to appear for jury duty and a warrant is being issued for their arrest for failing to appear. When the potential victim tells the caller they never received notification of jury duty the caller then asks them for their social security number and date of birth so the warrant can be canceled. Once the caller obtains the personal information they use that information to assume the victim's identity.

The caller in this case uses intimidation as a court official with the threat of arrest to obtain the information. If residents receive a call like this and feel concerned they could be in trouble with the local court, the ISP suggests asking the caller to give you a number to call them back. Check the local phone book for the public number to the court and call that number to verify whether or not you were supposed to report for jury duty. Citizens should be reminded to never give personal information out over the phone unless you are the one who initiated the call, you know who you are talking to, and the information requested is necessary to complete your business.

In order to protect identities, the ISP suggests following a few tips: releasing social security numbers only when absolutely necessary; not having the social security number printed on checks; ordering new checks and having them delivered to the bank and not a home; ordering social security earnings statement once a year to check for fraud; cross-cut shredding credit card receipts, bills, and other financial information; ordering your credit report once a year to check for inaccuracies and fraud; not leaving envelopes containing bill payments in mailboxes; not carrying credit cards, social security cards, birth certificates or passports in wallets; and not creating PIN numbers by utilizing house addresses, date of birth or consecutive numbers.

If Decatur County residents suspect they are the victim of identity theft, they are encouraged to immediately contact their bank and credit card companies and have fraud alerts placed on all accounts then call the police.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0371-39569195