Special Poilce Force1 ... anyone??? 3.18.2009

Obligatory: Sorry if this is in the wrong place, won't be offended if it's moved. Thanks.

Driving down the highway yesterday afternoon as a passenger with a friend, he noticed in the rearview mirror a car coming from behind pretty fast. I turned around and saw what was an obvious law enforcement vehichle coming up from behind. He was directly behind us for just a few seconds, then changed lanes and flew by.

As he sped by us, I noticed that the car was painted with a design I had never seen and the side of it prominently displayed the website address force1.us . Then as he sped by we saw the back of the car read Special Police. We were going about 75 (5 miles over actually), and this guy flew by us ... he had to be going at least 10-15 mph more than we were which would put him going at about 85-90 in a 70mph zone. No lights, no siren .... just speeding down the highway at an illegal speed.

Anyway .... Just pointing out the speeding thing ... it ticks me off that cops can get away with breaking any laws they see fit. My main point here is to ask if anyone else has seen or heard of these so-called "Special Police" or Force1? I'm 33 and have never seen nor heard of them, and my buddies Mom had never either and she's in her 60s ... but she said she had seen her first one also, about a week before this.

I live in Kansas and the car had a KS - Jackson County Tag. I looked at the website Force1.us... and it says that they are prisoner transport or something like that. I've heard of prisoner transport, volunteer patrols, etc., but never any that had been allowed to state that they were, in fact, Special Police. To me it seems more like Cops-4-Hire? There's not a lot of info. at the site but it says they're nationwide. If the cars say explicitly that they are police, are they really sanctioned as police? Or could they be (y'know ... if "needed")? (Secret/Not so secret) Reserve Police ready to be called into action if/when the time comes? And if not, how can the cars be allowed to state that they are?

Anyone else ever seen or heard of this Special Police or Force1? Or any other companies being allowwed to outright promote themselves as Law Enforcement? Isn't impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer a felony?



[edit on 18-3-2009 by SpookshowJon]

Well, looking at the website it looks like they're essentially a prisoner transport company. Something like mercenaries I guess. But they advertise as having a rigorous screening process for potential employees. Certainly something for them to brag about looking at what they have listed.
They've got places in Kansas, California, Texas, and Florida.

reply to post by SpookshowJon


Appreciate you posting this. I just went from active duty Army to Reservist and looking for a job. I think I will check this place out since I am in Kansas also.

Good looking out.

I'm not bothered by police speeding. Chances are they have a good reason for it and they just don't want to make a big ruckus with the siren -- there are times that announcing to the universe, "Oh criminals... I'm on my way to get you now...!" is just not the wisest course of action.

Besides these guys drive constantly IN traffic (not long roads like truckers) which is enough to 'drive' even the best person insane (no pun intended), so if they eventually start driving like they own the road I can see it as an understandable professional deformation.

I near heard of the 'special police' designation. Probably just close enough to the 'secret police' or 'special soldier' term to creep me out, but I must be easily creeped out, since the term 'Homeland Security' is still doing it for me.

PJ