[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Unmarked Police Vehicles (Page 1 of 5)
Posted: 8/17/2017 12:04:27 AM EDT
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A man on the other side of WA was arrested at his home and police noticed his vehicle had red and blue strobe lights fitted to it.
I've never agreed with police using unmarked vehicles to work traffic. It seems like an unnecessary risk to the public. Sure, they probably pull over more speeders and texters. But it seems to open the door for imposters to prey on unsuspecting citizens. A quick search on Amazon shows that one can make any dark car look "close enough" to legit for about $250.00 with free two day shipping. Unmarked units certainly have their uses, but I think they provide too great of a risk for imposters that is not outweighed by tickets. What does GD think about sneaky cop cars? |
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. |
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I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. And use marked cars to do traffic stops. |
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I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. Moved to GA - Could not figure out why this volunteer fireman (blue lights only) was being an ass and trying to act like a cop. |
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This guy had it decked out with a revolving license plate
http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/man-arrested-in-kitsap-co-with-truck-decked-out-to-look-like-police-vehicle/593926252 |
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In CA, a police vehicle used specifically for traffic enforcement must be a marked police car. Â Our detectives and admin have unmarked car with Code-3 packages in the event we need to respond to emergencies. traffic and patrol cars should be marked IMHO. |
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In Nebraska an emergency vehicle is an emergency vehicle. There's good physiological reasons to use red and blue lights together. Put amber on service vehicles and a mix of colors on emergency vehicles. And use marked cars to do traffic stops. Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. And use marked cars to do traffic stops. |
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This guy had it decked out with a revolving license plate http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/man-arrested-in-kitsap-co-with-truck-decked-out-to-look-like-police-vehicle/593926252 Though when I read it I recall he was arrested under different circumstances. |
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Never thought I would say this, but CA seems to have a good system. Quoted:
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In CA, a police vehicle used specifically for traffic enforcement must be a marked police car. Â Our detectives and admin have unmarked car with Code-3 packages in the event we need to respond to emergencies. traffic and patrol cars should be marked IMHO. 
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. |
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Someone around me was selling a surplus CV Interceptor that was fully kitted. It had radios, lights, and a computer in it as well as being fully marked. I don't know just what the police would have to do with a car before they could sell it, but I think you can have the lights, siren, and markings as long as they are not used and the lights are covered.
I know there are people around here that have fully working police cars that are privately owned that go all the way back to the 20's and 30's. They roll the out for parades and such. |
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A man on the other side of WA was arrested at his home and police noticed his vehicle had red and blue strobe lights fitted to it. I've never agreed with police using unmarked vehicles to work traffic. It seems like an unnecessary risk to the public. Sure, they probably pull over more speeders and texters. But it seems to open the door for imposters to prey on unsuspecting citizens. A quick search on Amazon shows that one can make any dark car look "close enough" to legit for about $250.00 with free two day shipping. Unmarked units certainly have their uses, but I think they provide too great of a risk for imposters that is not outweighed by tickets. What does GD think about sneaky cop cars? 
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Unmarked vehicles for stakeouts and narcs are even sneakier. Of course, they aren't running traffic. They won't pull you over if you start doing something wonky. They'll radio a marked vehicle to do that so they stay on the DL. |
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Greensboro PD has started using all types of vehicles for traffic enforcement. Saw one in an unmarked F150 Lariat on I40 the other day pulling cars left and right. Small and large sedans. I don't know if they are confiscated vehicles, or what.
GPD's chief complained last night at the council meeting that he is losing 5-7 officers a month to other departments. His Assistant Chief is a baffon and a criminal, and the chief has the backbone of a black snake. City council made him (STOP) pulling over vehicles for code violations because stats showed they were supposedly targeting African Americans. They did this for a year. But he thinks more pay will fix his problem. Rant over. |
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I stick with my original statement. Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. And use marked cars to do traffic stops. FEMA paper link |
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. I'm seeing more and more 'unmarked' police vehicles that have the standard paint job on them but its reflector only it looks all white, but put headlights on it and the whole police scheme of the agency is visible. Think invisible ink |
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I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. |
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Quoted:
I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. |
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In Texas, it is legal for "contractors" (usually off duty LEO on a side gig) to run cars with POLICE or LAW Enforcement markings and red/blue or red/white/blue lights in construction zones. Construction guys run yellow/blue or white/blue lights. Hard to tell who the "real" good guys are at times. Quoted:
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I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. |
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In your experience, do other officers tend to share your preference for marked vehicles? Quoted:
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We had both but I preferred using a marked vehicle. Quoted:
Unmarked vehicles for stakeouts and narcs are even sneakier. Of course, they aren't running traffic. They won't pull you over if you start doing something wonky. They'll radio a marked vehicle to do that so they stay on the DL. |
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Quoted:
In CA, a police vehicle used specifically for traffic enforcement must be a marked police car. Â Our detectives and admin have unmarked car with Code-3 packages in the event we need to respond to emergencies. traffic and patrol cars should be marked IMHO. |
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My local PD uses several "alternatively marked cars" for revenue generation. When they first got them there were a lot of complaints and lots of people didn't stop so they put the city's name in script on the doors of the cars, similar to what the city government uses. The guy that works my part of town drives a red mustang and has a sneaky trick that he pulls where he parks on the street in front of a house where a red mustang is usually parked so people just whiz on by thinking he is a parked car.
Last week I was driving on I-10 and had just passed through Ozona, TX. It was just after dusk and I was running 78-79 mph in an 80 with the cruise on and I came up on an SUV rolling about 50 in the slow lane as I signaled to change lanes to pass and zoomed past I noticed that it was a state trooper. The car behind me was keeping pace with me and also passed the cop. The cop suddenly sped up and pulled to a position about 25 yards behind me in the passing lane and started pacing us from there. I figured he had noticed the out of state plates on my rental car and had decided that people from Michigan were out of place in the middle of Texas. He then pulled back even next to the car behind us and proceed to maintain that position almost as if they were having a conversation. He followed for a few miles and then went across the median after someone who apparently was more willing to give him pc for a stop. The car behind followed me for ten more minutes or so and then decided to zoom past me. I wasn't surprised that much by the low profile light bar but the paint on the otherwise unmarked car I can only describe as "whitish with recent car fire". The car literally looked like it had been on fire at some point. |
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Quoted:
I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. |
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Why would you not want an emergency vehicle to have both red for its daytime visibility and blue for nighttime visibility? FEMA paper link Quoted:
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A lot of construction and service vehicles have red and blue strobes on them in Texas. You wouldn't believe the light show and such the volunteer fire fighters have, not to mention POVs for LEOs. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. And use marked cars to do traffic stops. FEMA paper link ETA: They also flash rapidly and almost randomly while moving, but stopped flash at a slow rate that profiles the vehicle. |
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Quoted:
I noticed that in MO. Wreckers were using Red/Blue lights. Illegal here for them to do so. IMO, cops only use blue lights, EMS/Fire can use Red lights. White/yellow lights for non emergency vehicles. Construction is Amber (though they use white which is a no-go I am told) Volunteer fire use blue and EMA use blue (I have blue strobes using a Whelen dash strobe and Able2 Strobes in back). Vol/EMA and others not in .gov cars need a letter to have them. |
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Someone around me was selling a surplus CV Interceptor that was fully kitted. It had radios, lights, and a computer in it as well as being fully marked. I don't know just what the police would have to do with a car before they could sell it, but I think you can have the lights, siren, and markings as long as they are not used and the lights are covered. I know there are people around here that have fully working police cars that are privately owned that go all the way back to the 20's and 30's. They roll the out for parades and such. They confiscated all of it and charged him with impersonating since he never had a letter authorizing use. In East Peoria IL they have unmarked pickup trucks with a tool box on back (loaded with strobes) as well as unmarked mini-van and some other vehicles. Wife is a retired Sec of State cop and was/is up on MVC for IL, she feels using unmarked/covert cars for traffic is wrong. I do like the idea of using them to catch road ragers. |
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I agree that unmarked cars should NOT be used for revenue generation. Limit them to investigators and/or the drug units.
The bad thing is, VA loves their unmarked cars. We have A LOT of them around here. They are even running personal license plates and not the 'government' labeled plates. VA is also Blue lights for Police, Red for EMS/FF, and Yellow for construction/tow. Our family is from upstate NY, and their light colors are the opposite. It takes a bit to get used to it (Red for police, Blue for EMS/FF) |
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I found that driving away had the same effect.  Quoted:
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Specialized units prefer unmarked cars because have the distinct advantage of helping you avoid getting dragged into something that patrol can handle. "Nope they are just waving hi...make this right turn real quick."
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