ADEL, Ga. — The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public that someone may be impersonating a lawman.

Sheriff Doug Hanks said a woman reported a “suspicious encounter” on the east side of the county. Sgt. Brad Exum of the sheriff’s office said the encounter took place the evening of Wednesday, May11.

The woman noticed a vehicle behind her with flashing blue and white lights from the front grill or headlight area, according to a sheriff’s office press release. She started to pull over and the mystery vehicle pulled over behind her, the press release said.

The woman changed her mind and pulled away, heading for a familiar driveway and calling a family member. The vehicle with the flashing lights fled the area, the sheriff’s office said.

The vehicle was described as an older model car, possibly white or silver. The woman was sure the vehicle did not have roof-mounted lights and she saw no markings on the car, the release said.

Hanks said the sheriff’s office doesn’t use unmarked cars but does have some unmarked pickup trucks used by specialized units.

“Traffic stops are discouraged by deputies operating these vehicles but are sometimes unavoidable,” he said.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has not had problems with impersonators recently, but had an incident several years ago which resulted in an arrest, said Exum.

“I think every agency has to deal with this at some point,” he said.

The sheriff’s office provided the following tips for drivers unsure if they are being pulled over by a legitimate law-enforcement officer:

• Never attempt to outrun the vehicle pulling you over. Slowing down is the proper action to take in order to indicate to the officer that you are not attempting to flee.

• Signal your intent to pull over. This can be done by engaging the correct turn signal or even your hazard flashers.

• Only pull over in a well-lit public place. If a public place is not available, proceed to a place where you feel comfortable and safe.

• Call 911. If you are uncertain about the identity of the person stopping you, the 911operator can help confirm or deny the identity of the person behind you, and in the off chance that it is an imposter, they can dispatch a real law-enforcement officer to assist.

“The sheriff’s office, and all law-enforcement officers in general, are very considerate to the public’s concerns about these types of instances,” Hanks said. “It is our promise to ensure that the safety of our citizens is of utmost importance.”

If anyone has had an encounter or has any information, the sheriff urges they call the Cook County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division, (229) 896-7471 or a local law-enforcement agency.