Posted by Tom, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Aug 28, 2012 at 11:08 pm

Good thing criminals can't fake a solid red light.

Women should always drive to a well lit, public and occupied place before stopping for the police. When in doubt, drive to the police station.

Posted by C. R. Mudgeon, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Aug 29, 2012 at 11:16 am

I hope both cuprits are quickly caught. These "impersonating an officer" crimes are very serious - penalties for impersonating an officer while commiting an(other) crime should be very severe.

I know that the police advise you to always pull to a "well-lit, populated area" if stopped. But I have to admit that I wonder how this would work in practice, if you had to drive a fair distance to get to such a place (even with blinkers on, to signal that you weren't trying to avoid anything). If you DO stop, asking the person to really show you their ID (through a closed window) is probably also a good idea. Confirming the validity of the stop by calling 911 was a new suggestion that I haven't seen before. But I also think that going for your cell phone will annoy police officers, and possibly make them jumpy or nervous, if they're not sure what you're reaching for.

It was useful to read that a legitimate police stop will always have a solid-red light shining. But as noted above, this now tells the impersonators what to do, as well.

Posted by Ashley, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Aug 31, 2012 at 12:15 pm

I feel badly for both women, but what in the world are they doing out at 2-3 a.m. by themselves, especially the one walking alone? In this day and age, it is better to be safe rather than sorry and always try to have a "buddy" with you!