Public Service Announcement

I don't know about you, but I get these types of things in my Mailbox (email) all the time. Most of the time I just delete them. It's like nonsense right?

Well today I thought, hmm... Maybe I should blog about these nonsense emails, and I'll use the one I got today as a fore-instance. Glad I checked it out first! Went to Truth or Fiction (which helps to verify if true or false) to see about this particular email.

This is what I got in the email:

A "MUST KNOW" - #77

It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told them never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.

Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called #77 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away.
She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her.

The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't. He told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.
Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.

One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

I never knew about the # 77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe & quiet place.
You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them ( i.e. put on your hazard lights) or call # 77 like Lauren did.

Too bad the cell phone companies don't generally give you this little bit of wonderful information.

Speaking to a service representative at **Bell ** Mobility confirmed that # 77 was a direct link to OPP Dispatch.

So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about # 77.

I went to this site exactly and found out this:

The Truth
Whether this particular story is real, we don't know, but the information it conveys is apparently sound.

TruthOrFiction.com talked with law enforcement agencies on both the East and West Coasts.
The consensus was that if you are suspicious about a patrol car wanting to pull you over, especially in an isolated area or at night, it's prudent to proceed to a place where would feel safer.
The problem is that the law says you are to obey an officer who says to pull over so if you do decide to continue, do so in a way that makes it clear you are not trying to evade him or her.
If you have a cell phone, call your local emergency number, usually 911, and you can be connected to a dispatcher who can help decide whether the car attempting to pull you over is legitimate.
Also, as happens in this eRumor, you can inform the dispatcher that it is your intention to comply, but only after you get to the next off ramp, gas station, populated areas, etc. .....
The #77 number is one of them. Some states use *77 or even #55.
The story that suggests using #677 is a Canadian version of this eRumor that inserted the numbers for reaching the Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario.
One of the reasons, according to a cell company we spoke with, is that the 911 calls from a cell phone go to different kinds of agencies depending on where the phone call is being made.
In some areas, dialing 911 on a cell phone may go to a city or county emergency dispatcher. In other areas, the call may go to a state highway law enforcement agency such as the highway patrol or state troopers. ......

There is more information posted on their site. Please check it out.