Police Awareness

The Police Awareness Indicator appears in the screen’s center when you’re near a cop. Police bring the hammer down if you commit crimes, act suspiciously, or break traffic laws within range of their attention.

Witnesses

Civilians can also bring the heat if they see you committing a crime. When this happens, the civilian becomes a “Witness” and a telephone icon appears above the civilian as they make their way for the nearest phone or patrolling police officer.

Crimes and Offenses a Witness will respond to:

Being seen in public with a weapon drawn

Aiming at a civilian for a while

Killing a civilian

Killing a police officer

Shooting a number of times

Carjacking

Hitting a few people with cars

Carjacking a policeman

Blowing up a vehicle

Driving over a civilian

Performing a takedown on an enemy

Blue Zone

A blue zone appears on the map and minimap after a crime is reported. This means the police are actively searching for you. To end the search, look at your map and head past the nearest edge of the blue zone and remain there until the search is over. You can also call the Police Dispatcher to stop the search immediately.

Red Zone

Cops in a red zone are in a “shoot-first, ask-questions-later” state of mind. Open your map and check the boundary of the flashing Active Police Zone, then try to get outside of it while losing the pursuit. Or try hiding until the Police Awareness level drops to a blue zone.

Cops within a blue police zone (also displayed on your map) still search for you, but less aggressively. You can move stealthily, avoiding contact until you get outside the zone.

The following creates a red zone when police are watching (blue police indicator is on-screen, but your Associates’ Police Dispatcher service is not active):

Aiming at a civilian

Killing a civilian

Punching an enemy a few times

Killing a police officer

Shooting

Driving on the sidewalk for a while

Hitting a number of vehicles quickly

Hitting a police car with a car

Carrying a weapon for a while in public (unholstered)

Shooting at a vehicle

Carjacking

Carjacking a police occupied car

Hitting a police officer with a car

Hitting a few pedestrians with cars

Stealing a car

Stealing a police car

Aiming at a police officer

Shooting at a police officer

Shooting at a civilian

Blowing up a vehicle

Throwing a Grenade or Molotov

Performing a takedown on an enemy

Interrogating informant

Placing explosive

Carrying a body for a while

The following creates a red zone event even when the Police Dispatcher service is active (you used the Associates’ Police Dispatcher service):

Injuring a police officer

Killing a police officer

Shooting at police or their vehicles

Hitting the police car with your car

Other Police Behavior

Police investigate gunshots and explosions they hear but cannot see. The time to investigate varies on location. This happens quicker in the city and slower in remote areas. Police watch you for a while, but when you get too close to them, they tell you to go away. Police also attack you if they see you in a police zone, which is around many police stations.

To escape from the police, stay out of their circle of attention displayed on your Minimap. Be careful: this circle will grow as you break more laws, making it even harder to lose their pursuit.