‘Ain’t No Way That Is Constitutional’: Florida Man Spots Undercover Cop. Then He Sees What They’re Driving
A man happened to spot an undercover cop on the road. You would never guess what the cop was driving.
Instagram user Alex Garduño (@authentic.alexndr) caught a cop on camera in Florida. He noticed blue lights radiating off of a Ford Mustang, which made him stop in his tracks and record. He managed to catch the vehicle driving away at a noticeably high speed.
His initial post of the blue Ford Mustang quickly garnered 12.7 million views. A follow-up had 1.3 million viewers tuning in to learn more about the Florida police officer’s nicer vehicle.
So, are cops really driving Ford Mustangs around while working undercover?
What Cars Do Cops Usually Drive?
Police officers across the country don’t have one “standard” vehicle they drive. But, there are a few brands which departments rely on heavily.
Ford vehicles are quite popular. Many police officers across the country drive Ford Interceptor Utility. Ford has supplied many departments with vehicles for 75 years. There are also Chevrolet and Dodge vehicles that police use, offering some sportier options.
But, it’s rare to see a police officer in a vehicle like a Ford Mustang. They’re not necessarily specialized for law enforcement usage the way other cars are. In this case, though, the vehicle may have been modified to be a bit more suited for police use.
How Is the Ford Mustang Modified?
The car that Garduño recorded appears to be modified. It has solid black wheels and looks lowered. In his video, Garduño pointed out that the vehicle has the “PP” possibly referring to a Mustang’s performance package trim.
That’s one of the reasons why Garduño and other viewers thought it was so strange that a police officer was driving the car. Garduño also commented on the fact that it was a stick shift, not an automatic vehicle. The base model of most new Ford Mustangs has automatic transmission instead of manual. That means that whoever purchased the car probably specifically asked for a stick shift.
It leaves many commenters to question whether the vehicle is actually a police-operated one. But, Garduño’s post clearly shows police officers talking right next to the car. They didn’t stop it or pull the man who drove it over. They didn’t do anything as the vehicle drove away, either. Presumably, if the officers had a problem with the car or the man driving it, they would have done something to stop him.
Can Police Officers Drive Cars They Confiscate?
One viewer humorously added, “[you] know that’s a car [they] confiscated.” But, can police officers actually drive confiscated vehicles?
When officers seize vehicles, they usually hold them as evidence in criminal proceedings. Vehicles are often stored at an impound lot or evidence facility, not used by officers. Once a person forfeits a vehicle, however, a police officer might be able to convert it to an undercover vehicle.
The Florida Highway Patrol has converted forfeited vehicles before, so it’s not unheard of. A C8 Corvette ended up joining the police fleet after it was allegedly seized from a drug dealer. According to Hagerty, it’s likely that some funds were used to repurpose the vehicle, but the highway patrol didn’t purchase it.
We’ve reached out to Garduño via Instagram direct message for more information. We’ll let you know if he responds.
