Alton Police Officer Explains What To Do If Your Car is Being Followed
Local social media posts warn of cars being followed in Alton; an officer explains what to do if you fear for your safety.
ALTON - A few local social media posts are circulating about people being followed while driving. One Alton police officer explains what to do if you find yourself in a scary situation. Lieutenant Andrew Pierson, Chief of Detectives with the Alton Police Department, said that while there’s been an uptick in social media posts, they haven’t received new reports of people being followed.
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“We might get something like that a couple times a year, but the instances that you guys have been seeing lately have not been reported to us,” he said.
However, there are a few things you can do to stay safe if you feel like you are being followed in your car. First and foremost, Pierson recommends calling 911.
“Anytime someone is unsafe, they should always call 911 if it is an emergency,” he said. “If they are in fear of their own safety and there is something they feel is suspicious, call 911.”
The 911 dispatcher will ask you questions about your location and what is going on. Pierson urges callers to be as detailed as possible. While some people get frustrated with the questions, he emphasized that “the more you know, the better” because the dispatcher can send resources to you more quickly.
It’s common for the police department to receive phone calls from drivers about suspicious activity. You can call 911 if you or someone else feels in danger, or call the non-emergency line to report concerns.
“We get calls all the time, like, ‘I’m driving and this looks weird, can you check on it?’” Pierson explained. “Those types of calls are non-emergency lines, to a regular telephone number, versus 911. Again, if you're feeling some sort of safety threat or imminent harm coming, 911 is the way to go.”
Sometimes, people worry that they are being followed by someone who is impersonating a police officer. These cars might have sirens and urge you to pull over.
In Alton, the police department has both fully-marked squad cars and semi-marked squad cars. All of these vehicles have emergency red and blue flashing lights, a siren mechanism with different tones, and an airhorn.
If they attempt to pull someone over and they don’t pull over right away, all of these mechanisms will go off. Pierson said it’s “obvious” when it’s a real Alton police officer.
Pierson recommends pulling over to a lighted area or parking lot. Especially in the nighttime, this is the best decision because it increases your safety and the officer’s safety.
“Pulling over to a lighted area in the nighttime or pulling into a parking lot of a shopping center or a business is always a great idea,” he said. “The officers are going to understand. The officers are going to feel safer because they’re out of the roadway. When you do pull into a parking lot, there’s not traffic coming at them or anything else. But it’s how the vehicle reacts, and common sense is always appreciated.
However, if you’re ever asked to pull over but you’re unsure whether it’s a real police officer, you can always call the local police department to ask.
Though the police department hasn’t received increased reports of vehicles being followed, it is a real risk. Ultimately, Pierson encourages using common sense and communicating with the police department or a 911 dispatcher if you’re ever worried about your safety.
“Number one is communication with us, and we will direct you on what to do,” he said. “That is really your best option if any of those situations arise.”
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