Police Identification

[venividivici]

Do the Police have to identify themselves to you?
I was involved in a 'road rage' argument with a police officer who was in , I assume , his personal vehicle.
In hindsight , I had committed a very minor driving offence , but the result of him approaching my driver window while I was then sat in traffic was that i felt in danger and threatened and therefore verbally abused him (F.O) in order to try to get him away from me.
He did not any any stage show me any ID or say he was a Police officer. He could have been any maniac as far as I was concerned. He just informed me that I couldn't say that to him , he would take my number and I would recieve a summons.
As he walked away I could tell that his black trousers and white shirt (open at the neck) were probably a dressed down version of a Police uniform.
Do I have a valid argument that my behaviour was reasonable (ie : effectively defending myself) , given the circumstances?

[Bellringer]

Sounds to me as though you both 'lost it' a bit. Before you can be summonsed he would have had to identify himself as a Police Officer, caution you, and give you a 'notice of intended prosecution.
As he did none of these I think it is safe to asume that nothing will happen. He could have been anybody dressed as you describe, a shop security man for instance. As a member of our local ********** I dress the same way (although I do wear epaulettes).
Just mind how you drive and control the verbals.

[froggequene]

He should have identified himself as an off duty police officer, unfortunately, as a public servant even if he's off duty if a crime has been or is being committed he's obliged to act.

It sounds as if you were already wound up & acted before he could speak or had the opportunity to identify himself, is there a possibility while you telling him procreate away from you that he was actually identifying himself & you didn't hear or you've simply chosen to ignore anything he said before he told you you'd be receiving a summons? The summons may not relate to the verbals but to the minor driving offence

Contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau to get advice.

[Mister.L]

Looking at Bellringers answer, can we assume that he is a
T R A F F I C .. W A R D E N and that the Answerbank Computer has now been programmed to treat that occupation as an obscene word?

[jake-the-peg]

A little piece of advice (although in hindsight you've probably worked this out)

If approached in your car in an agressive way by someone who could be a maniac, verbally abusing them is probably the very best way to turn a bad situation into something potentially very nasty.

I doubt you'll ever hear anything about this ever again - but maybe you should consider it a very cheap warning for the future

[Malak8924]

under PACE the following has to happen:

when approached by a PC he/she must: -

state thier name
state the name of any colleuges.
show I.D
state the Police station inwhich they work at.
Give you the reason why the approached you.

You have NO OBLIGATION to give your name, age, address of any information UNLESS the PC arrests you. Then you are obliged.

If in the event of your arrest - the PC must tell you why your being arrested and also state your rights such as right to silence, legal aid blah blah blah.

This applies to 99% of circumstances, others circumstances, Im not sure about.

[Golf38]

Malek, the conditions you state above are for a stop search - not a stop. You don't have to be served an NIP depending on what offence you are accused of. But I too don't think you'll hear anympre of this.