Los Angeles Police Impersonators??

[AnthonyM83]

For you LA guys:

Since I moved to Los Angeles, I've been seeing a number of people on motorcycles dressed to impersonate CHP motor units. They looked like they were right out of CHiPs with the classic helmet and tan button up shirts, even with the "motors unit" patches...but no duty belt or vest or badge and obviously not cops.

Now, I was in the Compton area today, near El Segundo & Main. Behind us we see what looks like a cop and dozens of motorcycles. The lead bike comes up the cars waiting at a light and motions for us all to accelerate forward or pull over.

He looked just like those impersonators, I see all the time...obviously not wearing a vest, but does have a radio cord wrapped around his back from waist to shoulder. At first I started to give him a look like "yeah right, I'm pulling over for you"...but then he yelped his siren and activated emergency lights on his motorcycle. So, we got out of the way.

Then dozens and dozens of motorcycles proceeded to pass by. The lead unit stopped an entire major intersection, then raced ahead back to the lead while another motorcyle stopped in the middle of the intersection with his hands raised having people stop, as dozens of motorbikes (non-CHP looking...this was like a leather-bikers procession).

Wondering if anyone knows who they are and if in anyway legit? There was no trailing unit with lights or uniform, only the lead car (who had a gold-looking shield badge...couldn't make out the agency patch or if he had a gun). My only thought is a Blue Knights trip?

Any thoughts?

[LA5150]

A lot of those guys are private security who have outfitted their motorcycles illegally with lights/sirens. But, some are legitimate off-duty officers escorting funeral processions or other functions.

However, there are a lot of motorcycle clubs near where you were, and they are notorious for that type of behavior. I've seen them do it on the 110freeway onramps, too: they will close off the slow lane so all of their idiot friends can merge together as a pack. There are a few clubs near where you were--120th/Central and Main/118th being the closest. I've never seen them use one of the poseur motorcops, though, so it may have been a legitimate escort.

There is also a new motorcycle club nearby that was founded by and is frequented by off-duty officers, and it could have been some of them. (And don't even get me started on THAT subject. :rolleyes: )

With all that in mind, however, unless you see a red light then it's not an emergency vehicle that you are required to yield to. California law requires official emergency vehicles to be equipped with a forward facing red light and siren. If it's only yellow lights--it's a security guard.

[AnthonyM83]

I saw another one of those bikers again today on the E/B 105 and S/B 605...this time just going solo without the biker procession.

Here's a pic of one on the 405. At the time, I tought it was funny, but now that I've seen them making traffic yield to them, it's not funny.

No gun and no badge...but their motorcylces do have lights and sirens.

[michiganstud]

I saw another one of those bikers again today on the E/B 105 and S/B 605...this time just going solo without the biker procession.

Here's a pic of one on the 405. At the time, I tought it was funny, but now that I've seen them making traffic yield to them, it's not funny.

No gun and no badge...but their motorcylces do have lights and sirens.

This is borderline.......but how are they making traffic yield to them?

[txinvestigator1]

I don't know about CA, but Texas has a provision in the Occupations Code for Uniform Motorcycle Escorts.


They cannot have lights reserved for Emergancy vehicles, but they can have lights.

However; it does not apply to a uniformed motorcycle escort service that performs only traffic control functions and traffic safety functions in connection with escorting a funeral procession or other motorcade.

[AnthonyM83]

Well, the one time I saw it, was the CHP-looking motorcycle like in that picture travelling maybe a block ahead of a HUGE pack of non-LE type motorcycles (leather jacket, bandana's, etc).

He would make people either pull over or accelerate ahead by motioning with his hand, while yelping his siren and activating flashing lights. I was to the rear/side of him (similar to the angle in picture), so I couldn't see if he had a steady red to the front.

Then, at the next major intersection, the look-alike stopped in the middle of it with flashing lights, while the procession overtook him. Half-way through, he took off to take the lead again and one of the regular biker guys parked in the intersection holding his hands up to stop traffic while the procession kept passing.

I called the local sheriff's station to ask if there was a procession in the area and they said definitely not. They're very busy and I doubt they were able to dispatch anyone to intercept them in time, so I guess they'll keep doing it until they accidentally do it in front of a real cop.


Also, this guy had a shield badge. I don't think there's any agencies that use tan shirts and shield badges around here...There was also a lack of patches, except for the "motor wings" patch in lieu of an agency patch. Also, no outline of a vest...you can see how the uniform doesn't look "fitted" to him. And I couldn't find the word "police" on the bike anywhere.

[SPM]

I saw another one of those bikers again today on the E/B 105 and S/B 605...this time just going solo without the biker procession.

Here's a pic of one on the 405. At the time, I tought it was funny, but now that I've seen them making traffic yield to them, it's not funny.

No gun and no badge...but their motorcylces do have lights and sirens.

Someday an on-duty will see them (or better, a CHP) and will get to the bottom of it. If I saw one while off duty I would follow untill I could get a marked unit on scene. The uniform is cutting it close but if they have emergency lights on board I would see to it that the vehicle got towed/lights removed.

-SPM

[Drummadude]

People abuse lights way too much. Once I was on the highway, and a tow truck (or some kind of a third party service vehicle with an orange lightbar) using their air horn and lights to get people to yield to them.
I think people were mostly scared of him hitting their cars, or something, or maybe they just didn't know that no police agency uses those lightbars, at least around where I live.

Those "impersonators" kinda scares me. There was this one Third Watch (TV show with NYPD and FDNY -- cancelled) episode where people had outfitted their sports car with flashing lights on the visor and sirens and were doing obviously illegal traffic stops. Also assaulting people and such.
It would be scary if those dudes that you're seeing started turning violent and used their appearance of authority as a way to do bad things.

[Valor55]

People abuse lights way too much. Once I was on the highway, and a tow truck (or some kind of a third party service vehicle with an orange lightbar) using their air horn and lights to get people to yield to them.
I think people were mostly scared of him hitting their cars, or something, or maybe they just didn't know that no police agency uses those lightbars, at least around where I live.

Tow trucks here can use their lights to get around/through traffic when they are responding to a wreck. Doesn't make much sense to have a tow truck stuck in traffic when you need it to clear a wreck to open up the same traffic.

[LA5150]

Yup. It's a security guard. Looks just like the ones I like to speed past doing 90mph on the freeway, knowing they can't do a damn thing. Other motorists look at me like I'm insane, but I like to bust the wannabe's aura of acting/looking like the real deal.

I've seen those fake motorcop bikes parked near the motorcycle clubs before, but as I said, I've never seen them used to stop traffic for their homies. If I did, there would be some esplainin to do.