Police Officer Verification

Good Afternoon, 

We have recently received a report of a people impersonating Police Officers and stopping vehicles in and around the Edenbridge Area. As it stands we believe this was an isolated incident however for your awareness:

Police do routinely patrol the area in both marked and unmarked vehicles both in uniform and plain clothes, and will occasionally stop vehicles seemingly at random - this is a routine police action, and usually not something to worry about. However if you are stopped for any reason, there are a few things to look out for:

1) Is the person in uniform? If so, they will have a 5 digit force number on show somewhere on their uniform - usually on their shoulders or vest. If they don't this is a red flag you should be aware of.

2) If the person isn't in uniform, ask them to show you a warrant card and identify themselves. Plain clothes officer should always be able to identify themselves; stating their force number and surname and showing you a warrant card. If they can't, this might be a red flag.

3) Are they doing something that doesn't feel right? I appreciate this is vague, but things like recording you on a phone, or demanding money from you are not things police officers will do. All police officers should have Body Worn Cameras, so there shouldn't be any need to film you on a phone. Likewise, no legitimate police officer will ever demand money from you. 

If you're not sure, ask the person to conduct an Officer Verification Check. If the person you're dealing with is a police officer, they will know what this means and will action it. If you are stopped by someone claiming to be a police officer, and you're not sure, please report it as soon as you can and we can investigate it.