History Main / FlashedBadgeHijack

->'''Phelps''': LAPD! I need your car!\\
'''NPC''': I pay the city all these goddamn taxes, and you have to take ''my'' car!?

-->'''Guy on Bike''': Whoa, dude. You just fucked up your Ferrari.
-->'''Goodspeed''': It wasn't mine. Neither is this. (Steals the bike)

-->"By the power, invested in me, by this parish, I do hereby commandeer this vehicle and all those persons within. And that means you, smartass."

-->'''Van Family Son:''' We're gonna die! I know we're gonna die!
-->'''Calden:''' Yes, actually. We will die.
-->'''Van Family Mom:''' No, you're not gonna die!
-->'''Calden:''' [[ThatCameOutWrong I don't mean right now]].

'''Driver:''' ''(suspicious)'' Let's see your badge.\\

--> '''Nick Kang''': My name is Nick Kang, and I'll be your carjacker today! The city of Los Angeles appreciates your cooperation.
--> '''Marcus Reed''': I'm sorry. (drives away) NO I'M NOT!

-->''"Wait, this is '''my''' car. Even better!"''

--->'''Donut Cop:''' I can commandeer ''any'' vehicle I want!\\

''(scene changes to the Donut Cop, Darwin, and Gumball on a kiddie ride)''\\

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* In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', Vimes uses his badge to hijack a coach but, despite the coachman's enthusiasm for trying to leap the Ankh, is forced to abandon it and cross a bridge on foot, before Carrot shows up having hijacked a mail coach and taken a shortcut through a park. He's also, to Vimes's horrified admiration, closed two major roads to give them a clear run. And not to catch a villain, but because Sam Vimes, whatever else happens, has to read ''Discworld/WheresMyCow'' to Young Sam at exactly six o'clock.

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', after Bane's explosives go off, Det. John Blake uses one to commandeer an SUV so he can get to the hospital to save Gordon, due to the explosions causing critical damage to Blake's unmarked police car.
* ''Film/TheFrenchConnection''. When the gunman of a shooting aimed at Doyle (in which a mother with her child is killed) hops on an El train, Doyle commandeers a Pontiac Le Mans sedan, and [[RacingTheTrain chases the train]], [[TropeCodifier and the rest is history]].

This is in fact legal, though uncommon, in most of the United States, and if your car is damaged you're not likely to see any compensation for it unless it's totalled or unless you live in certain states. [[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcommandeer.html The Straight Dope]] has details. How quickly an officer can persuade a person to give up a vehicle is another matter.

* In ''Film/Speed2CruiseControl'', the same guy ends up getting his boat commandeered by a member of the LAPD - in the middle of the Caribbean (The man points out how inherently absurd this is as it happens). But it ends better for him this time - not only is the boat still intact at the end of the movie, he ends up finding the parcel of stolen diamonds floating in international waters. He wouldn't get to keep them, but under international maritime salvage law, he'd be entitled to 10% of their value from the owners for their return.[[note]]The backpack, floating about unattended in the water, clearly falls under the definition of cargo in peril. There's no risk in retrieving it, however, nor was the rescue difficult. The only additional factor for consideration is cost and how easily the jewelry could be replaced (not very). While 10% is considered a base value for salvage value, the rarity and irreplaceable nature of the jewelry could push the salvage value higher. The catch is that if the owner(s) press the issue, saying he has no claim, then his only option is to turn the jewelry over to the US Marshal's office and try to file a lein against the owners. Odds are, though, the insurance company would just fork over 10% and be grateful it wasn't more.[[/note]]

* Hilariously inverted in ''Film/SinCity'' in which an AntiHero violently commendeers a police car in order to flee the scene.

* Reversed in the comedy/thriller ''Film/ThatManFromRio'' as the hero, a guy on a weeks leave from the service, sees his girlfriend get kidnapped, he gives chase on a motorcycle stolen from a policeman.

* Played for laughs in ''Film/HollywoodHomicide'', where Creator/HarrisonFord's character is on pursuit and tries the badge-flashing on a car driver - it doesn't work. He then resorts to [[HeroStoleMyBike hi-jacking a kid's bicycle]].
** Also, Creator/JoshHartnett pulls his badge on a soccer mom and her kids, and freaks them out because of how fast he drives.

** In other works in the 40K universe, an Inquisitor's rossette is possibley one of the most dangerous objects in the galaxy. Mainly because it gives them the authority to do pretty much anything they like up to and including forcing entire armies and fleets under their direct command or blowing up entire planets. This said, most of them are actually pretty careful in how they exercise such power.

* In the first episode of ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' the Pink Ranger attempts to do this but the man in question refuses (perhaps law enforcers are no longer authorized to do this in the year 3000). However the Yellow Ranger (who possess superhuman strength) quite literally throws the man out of his car and the Rangers take it anyway.

* ''Series/TheRealHustle'' once showed how con artists would dress up as police officers and do this to steal people's cars. The guy they did it on did show some resistance, but mostly confusion. After a few seconds of protests the con artists were behind the wheel and driving off.

* Subverted in ''Series/{{NCIS}}''. In "Reveille" terrorist Ari pulls up alongside Kate on the street on his motorcycle, then zooms off after she's recognised him, knowing she'll commandeer the first car she sees to chase him. Unfortunately it's [[NotMyDriver full of Ari's mooks]].

* ''Series/TheMentalist'': In "Fire and Brimstone", Jane abandons Lisbon on a beach en route for his final confrontation with Red John. Lisbon flags down a car, flashes her badge at the driver and commandeers the car to go after him.

* Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "New Kidney in Town". Lois is pouring out Peter's supply of Red Bull, when it causes a daisy to mutate, stop a car, claim "Official flower business" and drive off.

** Technically, a "{{Posse}}" actually refers to the original purpose of these laws. The police can not only commandeer vehicles and items, they can commandeer ''you'' to assist them in the pursuit, apprehension, and detention of a criminal if necessary.
* This trope also works as a very devious real life scam. Scammers have been known to run up to bemused people who are next to their cars, flash a fake police ID at them and ask (very forcefully) if they could use the car, giving the owners a phone-number to ring when they want the car back. It's only when the car owners ring the number to find that it's a fake number do they realize that they've let someone steal their car and there's nothing they can do about it (except call the actual police, but their car might be long gone by then).

* In ''Film/Speed2CruiseControl'', the same guy ends up getting his boat commandeered by a member of the LAPD - in the middle of the Caribbean (The man points out how inherently absurd this is as it happens). But it ends better for him this time - not only is the boat still intact at the end of the movie, he ends up finding the parcel of stolen diamonds floating in international waters. Even if he doesn't get to keep them, he could probably demand a finder's fee from the original owners.

* ''Series/KungFu:The Legend Continues'': Peter uses his badge to take a mother's baby carriage in order to use it as part of an improvised disguise.

** Also, Josh Hartnett pulls his badge on a soccer mom and her kids, and freaks them out because of how fast he drives.

** In the Year of the Snake DLC in ''Videogame/SleepingDogs'', Wei can do this if he wears a cop uniform.

* Done in the ''Series/MacGyver'' episode "The Prodigal".

* Fraser did one of these with a horse and carriage in a ''DueSouth'' episode.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheNakedGun http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flashed_badge_hijack.jpg]]]]

* TruthInTelevision: [[WeAllLiveInAmerica Most]] [[EagleLand states]] have laws which allow law enforcement officials to commandeer civilian vehicles, though the owners can refuse with minimal consequences (technically, the consequences are there, but they're unenforced). In addition, owners have the right to be compensated for the use of their vehicles, up to and including any gas used and damage sustained, though often, it doesn't happen (certain states, like Texas, are more likely to enforce right of compensation). The Supreme Court has limited the situations in which the police may do this. It's not something a cop can do whenever they feel like it. They will need to document the situation and their justification for doing so ''in detail'' afterwards, as such an action ''will'' be [[RealityEnsues scrutinized by their superiors for potential abuse of authority and likely opening up the department to possible legal action from the car's owner]]. So while a law enforcement officer legally ''can'' take your car, it pretty much never happens in real life due to the paperwork and liability involved.

* Done at least twice per season on ''Series/TwentyFour''. In one case during season 6, Jack Bauer more-or-less carjacks a civilian, throwing him from his seat onto the ground and yelling "Don't get up" as he embarks on the chase.

* [=MacArthur=] pulls this to steal a tractor to chase a rabbit during the Australian episode of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaPresentsTheRidonculousRace''.

* TruthInTelevision: [[WeAllLiveInAmerica Most]] [[EagleLand states]] have laws which allow law enforcement officials to commandeer civilian vehicles, though the owners can refuse with minimal consequences (technically, the consequences are there, but they're unenforced). In addition, owners have the right to be compensated for the use of their vehicles, up to and including any gas used and damage sustained, though often, it doesn't happen (certain states, like Texas, are more likely to enforce right of compensation). The Supreme Court has limited the situations in which the police may do this.
** Technically, a "{{Posse}}" actually refers to the original purpose of these laws. The police can not only commandeer vehicles and items, they can commandeer ''you.''

* In the comedy/thriller ''Film/FoulPlay'', the good guy cop commandeers a taxi - as he tries to explain what's going on to the Japanese tourists in the back, the word {{Kojak}} registers with them and they thoroughly enjoy the chase.

* Flack did it once on ''Series/{{CSINY}}''

* ''Series/Gotham'' inverts it, with no-longer-a-cop James Gordon hijacking a police car to go help Bruce Wayne.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', Stan proclaims "Official CIA business" to do this to a woman and her sports car. He grabs her and tosses her out of the car, then drives off. A moment later he returns and throws her wheelchair out next to her before driving off again.