WFAA-TV

DALLAS - The Dallas County Sheriff's office is wrestling with a problem. Is driving a car painted similar to a police cruiser the same as impersonating a police officer?

Dallas County Sheriff's deputies stopped a car that looked like one of their own Wednesday after they spotted the car cruising down the street.

"As it passed, he got a look at the insignia on the side of the car, and it was nothing like he'd ever seen before," said Sheriff Michael Ortiz, Dallas County. "It didn't look real."

The symbol was in the broad outline of a Dallas County Sheriff's badge, but nowhere on the car were the written words "police" or "sheriff."

The sheriff traced the car to a group called Dallas County Investigations, located at an address in Seagoville. Turns out, the car belongs to a repo company.

"I want to apologize for it being perceived or taken in the wrong way," said Craig Honeycutt, Dallas County Investigations. "At no point would the owners of this agency want to convey the idea that we wanted any harm with this unit."

But his car isn't the only squad look-a-like. An owner of a used car lot nearby the repo company said he used to have a look-a-like police car that he parked on his lot to keep people from vandalizing the cars inside. However, it isn't on the lot anymore since he said he sold the vehicle.

Honeycutt said workers at the repo company never impersonate police officers, but benefit from the authority the car's appearance gives. He promised if the car is returned from the sheriff's office, who impounded the vehicle, they would repaint the vehicle and sell it.

"It's not illegal to dress up your vehicle in that fashion," Honeycutt said. "What is illegal is the way you intend on using it."

E-mail bharris@wfaa.com