MUST WATCH: Citizen pulls over cop allegedly breaking the law, lets him off with a warning



GRANT COUNTY -- A citizen and self-proclaimed "Liberty Speaker" finds himself the subject of Internet attention this morning after video of him flagging down a Grant County sheriff's deputy and admonishing the deputy for allegedly breaking the law went viral.

Video posted to YouTube on Oct. 14 shows Washington resident Gav Seim stopping a patient Grant County sheriff's deputy. Seim walks up to the passenger side window and -- in a manner much like a cop would talk to a citizen -- admonishes the deputy for allegedly breaking the law by driving an unmarked car.

According to Seim, law enforcement vehicles must be marked unless they are designated for "special undercover or confidential investigative purposes."

"Hey, the reason I stopped you today is I saw this car was unmarked," Seim says upon stopping the deputy. "Is this a registered unmarked vehicle for undercover work?"

The deputy tells Seim the car is for patrol work, and Seim tells him that according to the Revised Code of Washington, the deputy is breaking the law. Seim demands to see the deputy's identification, registration and proof of insurance.

"Can you see some ID of me?" the deputy asks.

"This isn't a game," Seim says. "It's called law."

After some back and forth, the good-mannered deputy acquiesces and hands over ID. Seim backs off and lightens up a tad, but still tells the deputy he is breaking the law.

"I'm not going to write you up today," Seim, an ordinary citizen, says. "What I am going to encourage you to do is take this car back... you are in open violation of Washington State RCW."

"If you continue to do this, you could be arrested," Seim said.

The deputy -- perhaps humoring Seim -- promises to check with the Grant County Sheriff about the legality of the car before driving off.

Grant County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Kyle Foreman told Q13 FOX News the car was a brand new patrol car, and was awaiting custom sized decals. Markings have since been placed on the patrol car.

The law is a tad fuzzy about unmarked law enforcement vehicles. According to RCW 46.08.065, all publicly owned vehicles must be marked except for some Washington State Patrol vehicles, and other vehicles permitted special exemption used by law enforcement. Seim maintains the wording of the law requires all vehicles to be marked unless for "special undercover or confidential investigative purposes," unlike the Grant County sheriff's deputies patrol car.

Foreman said the sheriff in the video, Deputy Camfield, handled the situation perfectly.

"We commend deputy Camfield for his tact and diplomacy," Foreman said. "It was simply a brand new car awaiting a decal."

As of Monday morning, Seim's video had nearly 700,000 views.