How a Sacramento, CA sheriff’s cruiser ended up in Poland
A viral TikTok video showing a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office patrol car driving in Poland left many people curious about how the vehicle made its way overseas. The video shows the fully marked police cruiser driving through the streets of Gniezno, Poland. What’s unusual is that the car sports the sheriff’s office name and logo…but has a UK license plate instead of a California one.
CBS13 took the video to Sergeant Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office in December. He confirmed that this isn’t the first time they’ve encountered such videos. However, it turns out the vehicle in the video isn’t an official county patrol car.
“We’ve seen this kind of thing for years,” Gandhi said. “It’s usually hobbyists in Europe who collect American cars, repaint them, and add police-style finishes.” He added that these hobbyists love American law enforcement vehicles, and it’s not uncommon for them to recreate Sacramento County sheriff vehicles in places like Poland, England, Iceland, and Germany.
The cars are sold off without decals and often purchased by private collectors who then add the sheriff’s logos and other details
Despite the confusion, Gandhi reassured that this hobby doesn’t bother the sheriff’s department. In fact, he said they actually enjoy seeing these vehicles in unique locations and encourage people to tag them on social media. “It’s really creative, and we like seeing it. If you spot one of our cars, let us know. We love it,” he said.
We feel the need to clarify that this kind of police cruiser “enthusiasm” is only legal overseas
In California, impersonating a peace officer, such as by driving a car with law enforcement decals, is illegal and can lead to charges.
Poland generally allows driving a U.S.-style police car as long as the vehicle does not use lights or sirens. The car must also be registered and licensed to operate on its streets.
Hobbyists can find decals for various U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and New York Police Department, through websites that specifically cater to this enthusiast community.
