Ghost lettering and/or minimally marked vehicles for traffic stops

[Trooper224]

This has always been a bur under my saddle. A patrol vehicle should be highly visible for several reasons: deterrence by way of visible presence and quick recognition by the public. In other words, the bad guys need to know the cops are around and the good guys need to be able to recognize a cop if they need one. If there's one thing I've learned in a quarter century of uniformed patrol work it's this: the general public largely moves through life with their heads up their ass. If you want to catch traffic violators you don't need an unmarked car to do it. You can paint your cruiser tangerine orange with lime green door panels and most of them won't see you until it's too late. In twenty seven years I've made exactly one stop in an unmarked car. I was in plain clothes and driving an unmarked car at the time, while going home from an assignment. The only reason I made the stop was due to the hazardous nature of how the vehicle was being driven. It was one of of those, "stop it now before it kills someone" situations. As soon as I was able I radioed for a marked unit and handed it over to them. The whole process made me very uncomfortable and I felt strangely exposed the whole time.

Officers themselves like unmarked cars and low profile graphics because they think they look cool and tough. They may give you some kind of bull shit tactical excuse, but that's really the underlying answer if we're being honest. They like cruisers that look tough and blacked out because they fall victim to the cool kid syndrome just like everyone else.

[orionz06]

Officers themselves like unmarked cars and low profile graphics because they think they look cool and tough. They may give you some kind of bull shit tactical excuse, but that's really the underlying answer if we're being honest. They like cruisers that look tough and blacked out because they fall victim to the cool kid syndrome just like everyone else.

The worst offenders near me have some pretty badass looking cars. I get that appeal. Black on black is fucking cool as hell, no doubt about it.

[Trooper224]

The worst offenders near me have some pretty badass looking cars. I get that appeal. Black on black is fucking cool as hell, no doubt about it.

It certainly is, but we're there to protect and serve, not look cool as hell.

[Duelist]

No need to be sneaky.

I used to sit on the side of the freeway with my lights on, and could tag speeders all day long at a minimum 30mph over. People would get so pissed and think I was pulling a fast one on them, because I was on the side of the road, with my lights on and running radar.

I saw a guy do that last night. I slowed and pulled into the opposite lane, as required by state law.

Another driver did neither (and he was going a *lot* faster than I was as well). And the trooper promptly pulled out and pulled him over.

That kind of Karma makes me giggle.

[Coyotesfan97]

Even when stopping at houses to conduct interviews in smaller towns, I usually at least called the local PD (if not stopped by for a call history/introduction) to let them know where we were, who we were, what we were doing, and our contact info....and then I'd check out with them at the end. My best friend (prior cop for 8 years in a very aggressive anti-crime plainclothes unit) thought it was a little weird at first, but the local PDs always appreciated the heads up (as well as it showing some sort of deference/respect) and my buddy really got the point when somebody called the cops on us during a field stop. "No, mister, it's okay. Yes, we know who they are, they're real federal agents, and it's probably in your best interest to open the door and talk to them." After that he started doing the same thing

That’s our SOP for out of town operations. It’s surely better for the local agency and you if it hits the fan they know you’re there. I don’t know how E-calls I’ve heard about men with guns at so and so that turned out to be plainclothes cops doing an operation where no notifications were made.

And that includes my own agency in our city where all it takes is a radio transmission on the patrol districts channel.

[BehindBlueI's]

Follow the $$. When folks see a bright yellow Crown Vic with search lights atop they tend to slow down and obey the rules for a short stint. That means no ticket.

Has not been my experience. Plenty of HUA drivers don't notice me until long after I'd have ticketed them if I cared to.

You can paint your cruiser tangerine orange with lime green door panels and most of them won't see you until it's too late.

Yup.

It certainly is, but we're there to protect and serve, not look cool as hell.

You can do both. Like it or not, LE needs to be a bit sexy if you want to recruit. I don't think anybody in LE is experiencing an increase in recruiting.

Anyway, I don't see the big deal for traffic enforcement, particularly highway patrol. Impersonators aren't pulling people over during rush hour or in construction zones. At night in a more rural area? Different considerations. Our state police have used Mustangs, white trucks that look like DOT trucks for construction zone enforcement, and even ridden in the cab of tractor-trailers and radioed marked units. It's never been an issue, and it's certainly not new here. Need a cop? In the day and age of cell phones I'm having a hard time thinking the best plan is to drive around looking for a marked car.

Not something I have strong feelings about either way. Now sedan vs SUV...that's a more interesting question we're going to have to answer now that Ford's done with the Interceptor.

[Trooper224]

Has not been my experience. Plenty of HUA drivers don't notice me until long after I'd have ticketed them if I cared to.



Yup.



You can do both. Like it or not, LE needs to be a bit sexy if you want to recruit. I don't think anybody in LE is experiencing an increase in recruiting.

Anyway, I don't see the big deal for traffic enforcement, particularly highway patrol. Impersonators aren't pulling people over during rush hour or in construction zones. At night in a more rural area? Different considerations. Our state police have used Mustangs, white trucks that look like DOT trucks for construction zone enforcement, and even ridden in the cab of tractor-trailers and radioed marked units. It's never been an issue, and it's certainly not new here. Need a cop? In the day and age of cell phones I'm having a hard time thinking the best plan is to drive around looking for a marked car.

Not something I have strong feelings about either way. Now sedan vs SUV...that's a more interesting question we're going to have to answer now that Ford's done with the Interceptor.

The big deal? Ever dealt with local and district courts concerning their opinions of such things and experienced how such perceptions effect their professional judgements? Ever fought with state legislators over budgetary issues and experienced how their perceptions of such things effect their votes? If you'd ever done any of those things you might see the deal, or have stronger feelings about the issue.

There are plenty of ways to increase the visual appeal of an agency without appealing to the inner man child of prospective applicants.

[littlejerry]

Has not been my experience. Plenty of HUA drivers don't notice me until long after I'd have ticketed them if I cared to.



Yup.



You can do both. Like it or not, LE needs to be a bit sexy if you want to recruit. I don't think anybody in LE is experiencing an increase in recruiting.

Anyway, I don't see the big deal for traffic enforcement, particularly highway patrol. Impersonators aren't pulling people over during rush hour or in construction zones. At night in a more rural area? Different considerations. Our state police have used Mustangs, white trucks that look like DOT trucks for construction zone enforcement, and even ridden in the cab of tractor-trailers and radioed marked units. It's never been an issue, and it's certainly not new here. Need a cop? In the day and age of cell phones I'm having a hard time thinking the best plan is to drive around looking for a marked car.

Not something I have strong feelings about either way. Now sedan vs SUV...that's a more interesting question we're going to have to answer now that Ford's done with the Interceptor.

If an unmarked Mustang or white DOT truck tried to pull me over... I wouldn't. Would you pull over for an ice cream truck? A UPS truck? Would you want your wife or daughter to? At some point you cross a line. For me that line is clear markings on the vehicle and recognizable uniforms.

[Sammy1]

In my city we have a designated traffic car painted white with ghost lettering. On limited access roadways (no place to pull over and do stationary work) this car rules. Much easier to find distracted drivers, red light violations... When the ghost car is behind you with it's lights on you can't tell it from a marked cruiser. except for the light bar but there are so many lights on the ghost car it's still hard to tell the difference.

[orionz06]

In my city we have a designated traffic car painted white with ghost lettering. On limited access roadways (no place to pull over and do stationary work) this car rules. Much easier to find distracted drivers, red light violations... When the ghost car is behind you with it's lights on you can't tell it from a marked cruiser. except for the light bar but there are so many lights on the ghost car it's still hard to tell the difference.

Wait, you actually pull over distracted drivers?

That would be amazing if that shit actually happened around here.