How do undercover police/MI5 avoid being pulled over?
How do undercover police/MI5 avoid being pulled over?
Author
Discussion

Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,952 posts

207 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
AIUI some types of undercover policing like surveillance potentially involves driving very quickly. Are there "secret signs" and things like that that mean a car will be left alone, or is the truth something more mundane like radioing ahead? Or maybe they do get pulled over routinely? Or are they mostly on "their patch" so their colleagues recognise the cars? Or is it just that there's so few police they're unlikely to be picked up?

Earthdweller

17,098 posts

147 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
No they get pulled .. a quick word and flash of badge normally suffices

Re speed cameras etc most truly covert vehicles are on ghost identities and transgressions will be passed on to relevant units and dealt with

WolvesWill

155 posts

170 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Can concur with the above. Can and do get pulled over.

If your surveillance cars are being recognised by your local bobbies when 'on patch' then you've already failed at being covert.

edthefed

815 posts

88 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.

Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,952 posts

207 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).

Sebring440

3,009 posts

117 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Somewhatfoolish said:
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).
Obviously, please explain what they are!

Simon_GH

835 posts

101 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all

Cliftonite

8,657 posts

159 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Sebring440 said:
Somewhatfoolish said:
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).
Obviously, please explain what they are!
rofl

911hope

3,790 posts

47 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Invisibility cloak.

hidetheelephants

32,898 posts

214 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Use The Force, innit.


Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,952 posts

207 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
Sebring440 said:
Somewhatfoolish said:
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).
Obviously, please explain what they are!
I'm trying to use cunning reverse psychology ffs

SiH

1,851 posts

268 months

Friday 1st August 2025
quotequote all
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Get a Black Rat sticker for the back of your car. I gather that Traf Pol never pull over a car that's displaying such a sticker smile

anonymous-user

75 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
Put one of these of the back of your car


surveyor

18,560 posts

205 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
A former colleague used to work the Benefits Agency (which shows how long ago this was).

They were running a joint operation to catch illegal workers, but they ended up rural fields picking crops so could be anywhere in Lincolnshire. They decided to follow the minibus which they knew picked up in certain locations.

Ex-colleague somehow ended up doing the following of a surprisingly fast moving minibus and PC traffic decided he liked the look of her car..

Apparently he did not believe her that she was part of a multi agency operation and would not even ring Inspector **whatever his name was**

Result was they lost the minibus and the operation was bust. Inspector **whatever his name was** was not happy. Ex-colleague got 3 points and a fine (before courses). She was able to claim the fine back on expenses... The points were the points....


vikingaero

12,100 posts

190 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
Somewhatfoolish said:
Sebring440 said:
Somewhatfoolish said:
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).
Obviously, please explain what they are!
I'm trying to use cunning reverse psychology ffs
The undercover Police use a special hand signal to notify pursuing Plod that are job. You flip the middle finger, but not fully erect, simply at a weaker angle.

edthefed

815 posts

88 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
Somewhatfoolish said:
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Are these things that in principle a "civilian" could do? (Obviously don't explain what they are).
In principle NO


Sticks.

9,554 posts

272 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
surveyor said:
A former colleague used to work the Benefits Agency (which shows how long ago this was).

They were running a joint operation to catch illegal workers, but they ended up rural fields picking crops so could be anywhere in Lincolnshire. They decided to follow the minibus which they knew picked up in certain locations.

Ex-colleague somehow ended up doing the following of a surprisingly fast moving minibus and PC traffic decided he liked the look of her car..

Apparently he did not believe her that she was part of a multi agency operation and would not even ring Inspector **whatever his name was**

Result was they lost the minibus and the operation was bust. Inspector **whatever his name was** was not happy. Ex-colleague got 3 points and a fine (before courses). She was able to claim the fine back on expenses... The points were the points....
This seems odd as in the past, people doing this sort of work would have their vehicle registered via Home Office as being used for this purpose. And would be carrying a warrant card/ID which they could've shown. There are limits though and perhaps their driving was too fast or they hadn't had the appropriate training.


TheRainMaker

7,512 posts

263 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
edthefed said:
There are various "ways and means" of minimising the risk of being stopped BUT not for discussion on a public forum.
Not driving like a muppet would be a good start hehe



Dr Mike Oxgreen

4,412 posts

186 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
The undercover Police use a special hand signal to notify pursuing Plod that are job. You flip the middle finger, but not fully erect, simply at a weaker angle.
Thanks for sharing. I’m gonna try this next time I’ve got the fuzz on my tail. Definitely.

Simpo Two

90,756 posts

286 months

Saturday 2nd August 2025
quotequote all
WolvesWill said:
If your surveillance cars are being recognised by your local bobbies when 'on patch' then you've already failed at being covert.
But then driving at 100mph isn't exactly covert either. To be covert you need a faceless grey SUV and drive in the middle lane at 60...