New Low-Profile Light Bar for Police Cars

[MAJOkie]

I just set the cruise 5 mph over and forget it.

Please tell me you are not one of those that ends up passing the guy whose cruise is set to 4mph over.. so you take 30 minutes to pass.. blocking the left lane the entire time? I see those folks so many times on the Interstate.

[LucasMcCain]

I'm almost certain the one I saw had someone pulled over on Hwy 360 in Arlington. It's been a couple weeks, though, so I wouldn't swear to it.

[TangoX-ray]

I thought I had heard there as a law on the books that prevented the stealth cop cars being used for ticketing/patrol in Texas. Never saw an actual statute or law, but it kinda made sense why League City does white lettering/markings on a white car. So far in the Houston area, I haven't seen any departments using any stealth/unmarked so just curious if it was some sort of county thing or what.

I am thinking there is something about unmarked cars. However, since these are marked, even with same color markings, they are getting around it.

Easy change to the laws: marked with a contrasting color

[mojo84]

I thought I had heard there as a law on the books that prevented the stealth cop cars being used for ticketing/patrol in Texas. Never saw an actual statute or law, but it kinda made sense why League City does white lettering/markings on a white car. So far in the Houston area, I haven't seen any departments using any stealth/unmarked so just curious if it was some sort of county thing or what.

I am thinking there is something about unmarked cars. However, since these are marked, even with same color markings, they are getting around it.

Easy change to the laws: marked with a contrasting color

Easier said than done.

Also, I believe San Antonio has several of these stealth cars working traffic in and around San Antonio. The justification was as much for aggressive driving, racing and dangerous lane changes used to weave through traffic. Those drivers are definitely a danger to all on the roads around them.

I have mixed opinions on these stealth vehicles. Part of me is ok with them and there's a part of me that doesn't.

[Pariah3j]

I thought I had heard there as a law on the books that prevented the stealth cop cars being used for ticketing/patrol in Texas. Never saw an actual statute or law, but it kinda made sense why League City does white lettering/markings on a white car. So far in the Houston area, I haven't seen any departments using any stealth/unmarked so just curious if it was some sort of county thing or what.

I am thinking there is something about unmarked cars. However, since these are marked, even with same color markings, they are getting around it.

Sorry poor choice of words, when I think of a true 'stealth' car, it would be unmarked. Unmarked is the word I was more thinking then stealth when I poised the question.

[NTexCopRetired]

Most medium and larger Departments and Texas DPS have policies against unmarked cars pulling over vehicles unless it is an absolute, life threatening emergency. My department didn't allow working traffic in an unmarked unit. You could run radar from one but a marked unit was called in for the traffic stop.

[Ryan]

This is on 35E in Dallas. And this is about as unmarked as you can get. No lettering, no spotlight, no black wheels, no externally visible lights...and yes, there were red lights flashing as well. My snapshot just caught the blue. This was a stock looking Mazda 6.

[TangoX-ray]

This is on 35E in Dallas. And this is about as unmarked as you can get. No lettering, no spotlight, no black wheels, no externally visible lights...and yes, there were red lights flashing as well. My snapshot just caught the blue. This was a stock looking Mazda 6.

IIRC, police can have lights on their personal vehicles. I think this is the case here.

[mojo84]

This is on 35E in Dallas. And this is about as unmarked as you can get. No lettering, no spotlight, no black wheels, no externally visible lights...and yes, there were red lights flashing as well. My snapshot just caught the blue. This was a stock looking Mazda 6.

IIRC, police can have lights on their personal vehicles. I think this is the case here.

I agree. It doesn't look like he is making a traffic stop either. Looks like he is providing cover for the guy to change a flat.

[Ryan]

This is on 35E in Dallas. And this is about as unmarked as you can get. No lettering, no spotlight, no black wheels, no externally visible lights...and yes, there were red lights flashing as well. My snapshot just caught the blue. This was a stock looking Mazda 6.

IIRC, police can have lights on their personal vehicles. I think this is the case here.

And that very well could be the case. I just noticed the flashing lights and the fact that it was a regular looking Mazda 6. And I have no idea why they were there or what was going on really as I was riding. It was just weird seeing a very regular looking car with the flashing red and blues.

[jmorris]

That silly poster with the Eurocop and the whinging about the paint job on American police cars is laughable. The Europeans were into pretty much automated traffic fine collection for decades. Cameras plastered all over the place, including mobile units that are hauled around in plain vanilla vans to be deployed along side the road. And when your picture gets taken, boom the fine demand arrives in the mail, pay it or else.

Or in my case, two fullfledged cops (not "meter maid" types in their proudly marked green and white "cucumber" police cars showed up at my door to collect a 10 DM fine (that was about $4.00). Fine collection/revenue generation was important enough that they assigned policemen to drive door-to-door to collect.

The fact that American cops actually have to chase you down and catch you in person. and face you in court if you contest it, must seem so backwards and quaint to those highly marked Eurocops.

Yes, when I was in Germany (Berlin) way back in 77-80 they had the traffic light and radar cameras even then. The traffic camera would take two pictures, one as you crossed the line and one immediately afterward to show that, no, you didn't stop or turn right. Don't know if the US ones do that.

And don't even think about fighting it.

[loktite]

When I was in Germany for a few 2 week stints in 2000's, they also issued tail-gaiting tickets based on snapshots from cameras in particular spots (often under bridges). I'm guessing my boss had gotten at least one since he took the time to mention it as he was driving us on the autobahn in Bavaria

[Smokey613]

That silly poster with the Eurocop and the whinging about the paint job on American police cars is laughable. The Europeans were into pretty much automated traffic fine collection for decades. Cameras plastered all over the place, including mobile units that are hauled around in plain vanilla vans to be deployed along side the road. And when your picture gets taken, boom the fine demand arrives in the mail, pay it or else.

Or in my case, two fullfledged cops (not "meter maid" types in their proudly marked green and white "cucumber" police cars showed up at my door to collect a 10 DM fine (that was about $4.00). Fine collection/revenue generation was important enough that they assigned policemen to drive door-to-door to collect.

The fact that American cops actually have to chase you down and catch you in person. and face you in court if you contest it, must seem so backwards and quaint to those highly marked Eurocops.

Yes, when I was in Germany (Berlin) way back in 77-80 they had the traffic light and radar cameras even then. The traffic camera would take two pictures, one as you crossed the line and one immediately afterward to show that, no, you didn't stop or turn right. Don't know if the US ones do that.

And don't even think about fighting it.

The system in use in Lufkin is by ATS. The cameras capture video 24/7. ATS has someone review the triggered video and they take a snapsot of the license plate close up. They also take a snapshot right before the vehicle crosses the line and another one about a second or two later. The local jurisdiction then has officer(s) assigned to review this information and they can accept or reject the citation. The officer can play the video which is about 10 seconds in length which includes time before, during and after the violation. If the person wishes, they can contest the citation and a hearing is set. During this hearing an arbatrator listens to the recipient and watches the video. They can dismiss or confirm the citation. If the recipient wishes they can appeal a confimation to the municipal judge who will rule on the case. Lufkin processes about 2000 red light tickets each month.

[mojo84]

Smokey, any idea how much the fine for running a red light is?

[Smokey613]

It is pretty standard at $75 then they add $25 if not paid on time. Also, as I mentioned earlier, it is a civil citation that does not go on your driving record in Texas.