Firemen with blue lights on vehicles

[Steve in PA]

The cars without the normal roof rack lights are refered to as semi-marked cars. They will have the lights either on the dash or at the top of the windshield inside the vehicle.

The idea behind them is to have a lower profile, meaning harder to instantly recognize as a police vehicle while patrolling.

[mpi]

CMU police are real officers as well, under act 501. i never liked the semi marked units, i didn't feel really all that safe driving them in an emergency situation. i preferr to be more visible.

mpi

[Steve in PA]

Same here.....I want to be seen.....especially at night. Those lights on top throwing light all around sure beat any of those lights used in semi-marked cars.

[ar15jules]

Originally Posted by Kenshin

Yea and they cost and arm and a leg too. Take a gander into how much those lights cost and then think about how much it costs to deck a firetruck and or police car out with them....

Pretty damn expensive

http://lightbars.stores.yahoo.net/lflpatriot.html

[VariableFeedback]

Originally Posted by Steve in PA

The cars without the normal roof rack lights are refered to as semi-marked cars. They will have the lights either on the dash or at the top of the windshield inside the vehicle.

The idea behind them is to have a lower profile, meaning harder to instantly recognize as a police vehicle while patrolling.

I always thought that part of the reason for patrol cars was to "show the flag." In low crime areas this may just be to get people to slow down a little, but in areas with high crime, wouldn't this show the goblins and the good guys alike that they better watch out, as the Law is around.

Of course, if the purpose of these semi-marked cars is to develop revenue, then they probably work very well for that purpose.

Either way, I have a lot harder time seeing out a semi-marked car with lights and sirens running when it is approaching me from any direction in traffic.

[Steve in PA]

The purpose is not revenue.

The purpose, one of many, is to be able to turn a corner without everyone spotting the roof lights. Or to be driving down a city block and people see the roof lights coming a mile away and know that a patrol car is in the area.

Those that drive these semi-marked cars need to pay extra attention to what they are doing

[JustinM]

I knowe having semi-marked cars can work on getting people to not speed, etc....

There's a PD near me that uses a teal Dodge Magnum with LED's all over the inside windows. There's no way anybody that hasn't seen the car with it's lights on, pins it as a police car.

I know that I don't speed throgh that town now.

[XD45]

Ross PD has 2 unmarked dodge chargers(one is the chiefs with a regular PA plate) ones grey(chiefs), and the unmarked they use for patrolling is a green so good luck spotting that. the chargers are the hardest to spot unmarked/semi marked just because we dont 100% associate it with being police yet, especially because of the amount of civilians that use them. you see a crown vic at the same time you hear a siren chances are you'll pull over for it out of reflex.

EDIT: Ross also has 2 marked chargers, I dont think thats the place to get into a car chase, I love the fleet they have, probably my favorite of all local departments. The new chief wanted to go back to black and white cars too, one of the first things he did when he got to be chief and he went with some chargers, he knows how things should be.

[soberbyker]

Originally Posted by XD45

Ross PD has 2 unmarked dodge chargers(one is the chiefs with a regular PA plate) ones grey(chiefs), and the unmarked they use for patrolling is a green so good luck spotting that. the chargers are the hardest to spot unmarked/semi marked just because we dont 100% associate it with being police yet, especially because of the amount of civilians that use them. you see a crown vic at the same time you hear a siren chances are you'll pull over for it out of reflex.

EDIT: Ross also has 2 marked chargers, I dont think thats the place to get into a car chase, I love the fleet they have, probably my favorite of all local departments. The new chief wanted to go back to black and white cars too, one of the first things he did when he got to be chief and he went with some chargers, he knows how things should be.

Philadelphia PD Expressway Patrol was the first in the area I saw using the Chargers, white with a blue and gold slanted stripe. Now several of the smaller suburban towns are too. You're right about the association of Crown Vics (and Chevy Caprices) even unmarked, first thing I think of is cop car. That black and white Ross PD car is what a police car should look like, I never liked all the fancy schmancy colors a lot of Dept's. went with.

Here's the Ross car, taken from their site;

click on photo for larger view
.

[XD45]

I love the look of a ford police interceptor, the new impalas or whatever PPD, McCandless and a few others are using look like euro trash to me. But theres nothing like a charger to me they get me wet in the pants, I passed one of the ross ones after making this post early, on the way to the range..the only thing ross needs is a helicopter at this point, they get so much tax $$ from McKnight road...