Unmarked police cars in Tulsa…

[Fr Mulcahy]

On another different line, how many of you have noticed red and blue lights installed on nonpolice/fire vehicles visible from the front? I saw a tree trimming truck with an amber and a red LED strobe in OKC the other day and at night I see street sweepers with both reds and blues.

To me, it cheapens the state law designating emergency vehicles.

Oklahoma Emergency Vehicle Light State Statutes - Extreme Tactical Dynamics

For our Oklahoma customers, we have gathered emergency vehicle light state statutes, including the definition of an emergency vehicle, and links.

www.extremetacticaldynamics.com

This is interesting.

 

[sherrick13]

Retired po-po here.

I despised unmarked traffic cars. Unmarked cars are necessary, but traffic enforcement and normal patrol should be with marked cars.

If for no other reason, community trust. Unmarked cars disrupt that trust.

DUI was my specialty. Traffic enforcement is just fine with marked cars.

 

[sherrick13]

Oklahoma Emergency Vehicle Light State Statutes - Extreme Tactical Dynamics

For our Oklahoma customers, we have gathered emergency vehicle light state statutes, including the definition of an emergency vehicle, and links.

www.extremetacticaldynamics.com

This is interesting.

They changed the law due to some accidents involving workers using yellow lights. I'm sure it worked slowing down people for a while, but that only works until the populace gets used to red and blues on tow trucks too. Then it becomes the background again.

 

[JD8]

Yesterday on 169 near 61st Street S, I passed a medium blue SUV with hidden emergency lights going, parked behind a victim on the shoulder. Probably doing traffic enforcement.

This morning, also on 169, I passed a black SUV, also with hidden emergency lights activated, parked behind another victim on the shoulder. Neither SUV was marked in any way.

Who made the decision to allow TPD (at least, I assume that’s who it was, though neither vehicle showed it) to use unmarked cars for traffic enforcement? I think it’s a despicable, sneaky, underhanded stunt which can only damage the image of the department. I’m all for the use of unmarked vehicles for homicide investigations, drugs, child trafficking, and other such duties, but not for traffic enforcement. Use clearly marked cars for that. So who made the decision, does anyone know?

They've been doing it for a LONG time. At least 25+ years that I can remember.

 

[caliberbob]

Retired po-po here.

I despised unmarked traffic cars. Unmarked cars are necessary, but traffic enforcement and normal patrol should be with marked cars.

If for no other reason, community trust. Unmarked cars disrupt that trust.

DUI was my specialty. Traffic enforcement is just fine with marked cars.

Well said, and thank you for your service

 

[dennishoddy]

Yesterday on 169 near 61st Street S, I passed a medium blue SUV with hidden emergency lights going, parked behind a victim on the shoulder. Probably doing traffic enforcement.

This morning, also on 169, I passed a black SUV, also with hidden emergency lights activated, parked behind another victim on the shoulder. Neither SUV was marked in any way.

Who made the decision to allow TPD (at least, I assume that’s who it was, though neither vehicle showed it) to use unmarked cars for traffic enforcement? I think it’s a despicable, sneaky, underhanded stunt which can only damage the image of the department. I’m all for the use of unmarked vehicles for homicide investigations, drugs, child trafficking, and other such duties, but not for traffic enforcement. Use clearly marked cars for that. So who made the decision, does anyone know?

The exact reason I run radar detectors in every vehicle.

 

[Perplexed]

Retired po-po here.

I despised unmarked traffic cars. Unmarked cars are necessary, but traffic enforcement and normal patrol should be with marked cars.

If for no other reason, community trust. Unmarked cars disrupt that trust.

DUI was my specialty. Traffic enforcement is just fine with marked cars.

Thank you!

 

[dennishoddy]

making police tax collectors ....is a really bad idea.

And they do that. My mom spent 20 years in the city treasurers office in Ponca city. Every month, one Chief of Police would come in and ask how tax revenue was doing for the month. If it was down, there would be a significant rise in the police notes published in the local newspaper at the end of the month. It really bothered my mom that this was going on, but she needed the job and stayed silent.

 

[Perplexed]

They've been doing it for a LONG time. At least 25+ years that I can remember.

You don’t think they’re getting more sneaky about it? I know for a long time, an unmarked car still stood out largely due to the spotlight mounted on the A pillar, and the black rims and tires with no white lettering. It seems though these days TPD is going out of the way to make their unmarked cars even more inconspicuous.

 

[CHenry]

Yesterday on 169 near 61st Street S, I passed a medium blue SUV with hidden emergency lights going, parked behind a victim on the shoulder. Probably doing traffic enforcement.

This morning, also on 169, I passed a black SUV, also with hidden emergency lights activated, parked behind another victim on the shoulder. Neither SUV was marked in any way.

Who made the decision to allow TPD (at least, I assume that’s who it was, though neither vehicle showed it) to use unmarked cars for traffic enforcement? I think it’s a despicable, sneaky, underhanded stunt which can only damage the image of the department. I’m all for the use of unmarked vehicles for homicide investigations, drugs, child trafficking, and other such duties, but not for traffic enforcement. Use clearly marked cars for that. So who made the decision, does anyone know?

I see this often on I 40 in OKC and even some of the city streets