#77 For Contacting Law Enforcement

[frawin]

I didn't see where this had been posted before and felt that it was something that needed to be. The text below came from Truthorfiction.com.


When In Doubt About the Cop Trying to Pull You Over, Drive to Safety or Call #77 or #677 on Your Cell Phone-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor
The story of a young college woman who was suspicious about an unmarked patrol car attempting to pull her over.  She remembered her parents' advice to proceed to a safe or populated place before stopping and also contacted the authorities on her cell by by using #77.  Other patrol cars were sent to her location, the person in the unmarked car was arrested and turned out to be a convicted rapist. 
Some Canadian versions of the story say the number to call is #677.


The Truth
Whether this particular story is real, we don't know, but the information it conveys is apparently sound.

TruthOrFiction.com talked with law enforcement agencies on both the East and West Coasts. 
The consensus was that if you are suspicious about a patrol car wanting to pull you over, especially in an isolated area or at night, it's prudent to proceed to a place where would feel safer. 
The problem is that the law says you are to obey an officer who says to pull over so if you do decide to continue, do so in a way that makes it clear you are not trying to evade him or her.
If you have a cell phone, call your local emergency number, usually 911, and you can be connected to a dispatcher who can help decide whether the car attempting to pull you over is legitimate. 
Also, as happens in this eRumor, you can inform the dispatcher that it is your intention to comply, but only after you get to the next off ramp, gas station, populated areas, etc.

We've received numerous emails asking about the #77 procedure described in the eRumor.
Even though 911 is the most common number to use in an emergency, there are many states that have established other numbers as well for cell phone users, especially to report highway emergencies.   
The #77 number is one of them.  Some states use *77 or even #55. 
The story that suggests using #677 is a Canadian version of this eRumor that inserted the numbers for reaching the Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario.
One of the reasons, according to a cell company we spoke with, is that the 911 calls from a cell phone go to different kinds of agencies depending on where the phone call is being made. 
In some areas, dialing 911 on a cell phone may go to a city or county emergency dispatcher.  In other  areas, the call may go to a state highway law enforcement agency such as the highway patrol or state troopers. 
In the states with the "77" numbers, cell phone users will usually get connected directly with a highway law enforcement agency. 
For that reason, you will frequently see signs posted along some freeways, expressways, or toll ways suggesting use of a number other than 911 if you're using a cell phone. 

[Diane Amberg]

 Go to a populated area if possible, keep the doors locked. Flash your lights, even in daytime. Lean on the horn to attract attention, use a cell phone if you have one. The police know the same thing; they are trained to be sure you know who they are if they want your attention. I'm sure Janet can add a lot to this.

[Mom70x7]

And if you don't have a cell phone?   

You have no way to call anyone to tell of your concerns.

[kdfrawg]

There were a few times driving cross-country when it was bar-closing time and it became obvious that everyboy on the road was both drunk AND crazy. Just to let things normalize a while, I would just pull into a parking lot and get a couple of hours sleep. But I would park in the parking lot of the local police, sheriff, or highway patrol. It would occasionally get noisy, but most of the crazed idiots in those lots are at least in custody.

[Diane Amberg]

  Years ago, long before I had a cell phone, I was leaving Wilmington at almost 11:00 PM.  Near the outskirts of the city there is a park and as I drove by, I picked up a vehicle, right on my tail, flashing its lights. I was expecting to be bumped, but I wasn't. There was plenty of room to pass, so I knew it wasn't an impatient driver. I hung a left and headed for the police station, a few blocks away, leaning on the horn as I went. He disappeared in short order. I went and sat in the police station parking lot for a bit, and then took a different route( I-95 ) back to Newark.

[Janet Harrington]

Getting stopped in a rural area by law enforcement is always a safety issue for both the officer and the citizen.

Most "professional" officers know that a woman alone in her vehicle is wary of being stopped.  I would recommend that if you are alone at night in a less populated area and have what appears to be a law enforcement vehicle trying to stop you that you do the following:

           Slow down.  Slowing down to 30 or so miles per hour will show the officer that you know the officer is behind you.

           Drive to the next town or even to a farm house that sits on the highway.  If you chose the farm house, start honking your horn, so that the people who live there will hopefully come outside to see what is going on.

           If you stop where there is not anyone else, then just roll your window down a couple of inches or less.  Just enough to keep anyone from grabbing you.  Converse with the officer through this crack.  DO NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE!
Any legitimate officer does not want you out of the vehicle anyway.  That is for your safety as well as the officer's safety.

          Officers are trained to come up to the vehicle along the driver's side and will talk to you from behind your left shoulder.  That is for their safety.  When they can feel that things are going to be okay, they might come up next to you so you don't have to turn your head so much, but usually they will keep themselves slightly to the back of your left shoulder.

          On a really busy highway, some officers will come up to your passenger window.  If they do this, do the same thing about the window down just enough to converse with the officer.  The officer will still stand slightly to the rear of the window because this makes you have to turn and makes it harder for someone intent on shooting them to get a clear target.

          If you have a cell phone and you just feel that something is "hinky", go ahead and dial 911.  Your call will hit the nearest tower and send you to the PSAP, (Primary Safety Answering Point), which is usually the closest 911 dispatch.  Most areas now have 911 in each dispatch center which is usually local police or local sheriff's office.  Tell the dispatcher the situation and that you do not feel comfortable.  I think they will do their best to get another officer out there to check it out and help.  If you are lucky, it will be their officer and they can whether or not that is their officer.

I've been looking to see if Kansas has a number you can call on your cell phone, but I'm not having any luck finding it.  If I come across it, I'll let you know.

[Diane Amberg]

  EXACTLY... Thanks, Janet. It's much better coming from you.

[Jo McDonald]

Thanks, Janet !  That is so good to know, for years I worried myself sick about Sherri traveling such long distances by herself - and her travel times would always run into the late night hours --- Now, I worry about Tania and Teri.......Guess there will always be some of "my little girls" to worry about.
Hopefully they will read your knowledgeable information here on the forum, and tuck it away in their "How to be safe" file in their pretty little heads.

[kdfrawg]

Usually, all I have to do to attract the attention of law enforcement is drive a little above the speed limit or fail to use my turn signal.

[Wilma]

What kind of law enforcement do you have that notices a little over limit or turn signal failure?  Or is it the old man that they see?