East Lansing police Lt. Kevin Daley said the department has had citizens impersonating police officers in the past, a crime that the East Lansing Police Department takes very seriously.

“It’s a very serious offense, especially with everybody being so safety conscious these days,” Daley said.

If a driver is worried that the person pulling them over may not actually be an officer, Daley recommends calling the police department in the area. The department can then notify the driver as to whether it is a real officer following them.

Joao Martins, an animal science graduate student, said if he were pulled over, the police officer would have to show proof in order for him to comply.

“He would have to have something that shows he was someone of authority,” Martins said.

If the situation is too risky to put in a call to the police, Daley recommends the driver make a forward motion with their arm out the window to notify the following officer and drive to a well-lighted area.

Police officers within the East Lansing area distinguish themselves with fully-marked police cars with grill lights, overhead lights and side spotlights.

Daley said officers in the area must maintain a professional look, and this distinction can help if a driver is unsure about an officer.

“If the person has long hair, hasn’t shaved, their buttons are all unbuttoned, a driver might have some questions,” Daley said.

While some areas auction off police cars with all the official markings still present, Daley said the ELPD removes all decals and markings before auctions.

Pulling over when the driver is unsure if the situation is safe can be dangerous, said MSU alumna Natalie Jamnik.

“I feel like that’s very risky,” Jamnik said. “If they didn’t have lights on their car and followed me I wouldn’t pull over in the first place.”