Sure, they removed the spotlight years ago. I'm just saying they've been doing it for a long time. Gotta keep those involuntary fund raising events going I guess.
Sure, they removed the spotlight years ago. I'm just saying they've been doing it for a long time. Gotta keep those involuntary fund raising events going I guess.
If I get pulled over, I would like the vehicle to actually look like a police car with markings that say so and I think the officer should be in a uniform too. Otherwise I'm really gonna wonder if you're some clown impersonating an officer. My wife and daughter are gonna be suspicious too, as they should be. And "just drive to a well lit area" doesn't make everything alright.
My 16 year old can pick out an unmarked OCPD Traffic Enforcement vehicle, of which there are 8-10 at any given time, depending on whether they are down for mechanical reasons, or an accident. They can only run during daylight hours and very specific statutes on light placement and how many etc. Even if its a City ticket, only like $3 dollars goes to the city, so that argument holds no water anywhere. Most traffic enforcement programs are also federally or state funded, and the dept gets grant money to cover the officers time.
The ones on I40 are drug interdiction units, at least if its a Tahoe. It's a joint City/County Task Force (CITCO) with OCSO and OCPD, formerly COMIT (County Mutual Interdiction Task Force) involving the DA, OCSO, and OCPD. They work 40 because of the volume of stuff that comes through there. You will see them elsewhere but they usually have a tip when doing so, like 44. I do see them a lot on 35, or 235 near Frontier City often though. The ones on the city streets are just unmarked traffic units. You can see some of the restrictions above on when and how they can run. Its usually high traffic, high accident areas during rush hour, school zones etc. It does serve a purpose because people will be wary for a while in those areas. Having a marked unit there for a day or two doesnt have the same effect becuase people will drive like an @$$ when the marked unit isnt there, but are uncertain and more wary for longer if they know unmarked and motors have been working the area.
Honestly, if you were tasked with enforcing the laws of this government, wouldn't you want to hide behind dark glass in an unmarked car?
Unmarked cars will always be manned by a uniformed officer, and during daylight hours in a police type vehicle. There are specific statutes requiring such. UNDERCOVER vehicles will be neither, but will not be running traffic as they do not meet the statute and will be used for buys etc. This goes for officer safety as well, because if teh car doesnt have the required lights, as in number and location, they are likely to get hit during the stop, an accident while making the stop, pulling into traffic etc. If your wife or daughter is concerned they are being pulled over by someone not a cop, they can call 911 to confirm before stopping.
Seems like making a police car look unmistakably like a police car is easier. If the rationale for and benefit of, police officers taking their police cars home with them includes traffic compliance, then unmarked cars for traffic compliance seems contradictory. And there's this:
"That common example of traffic compliance is one of several contributions made by officers allowed to drive their cars home after the workday is over, Oklahoma City police Capt. Bill Citty said."
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The intent is clear; ambushing is a predatory tactic and that shouldn't be an image LEOs should strive for. Justice should stand proudly on a hill for all to respect; not sneaking around trying to catch people slipping.
A marked unit does provide traffic compliance, as well as any criminal compliance, which I am sure is one of the other contributions made that he is referring to, especially as short staffed as the department is. But, wouldn't the use of any special task force or undercover car is contradictory as well. Why do we need vice if police cars driving around are a deterrent? Why do they do crime sweeps in specific hotels, or areas? Because those areas have a higher than average rate of crime, so it necessitates a special dedicated response. Vice working the hotels off of Meridian? Well, guess what, there's a ton of dealers, pimps and prostitutes working there. Driving a patrol car passed every few hours or days isnt going to stop it. So a specialized response is used in areas where there is a higher incidence of crime. Just like these traffic enforcement units are used in areas of high accidents and speeding. Ever wonder why you see more of them the first few days or weeks of school starting? It's deter speeding in that area. In all actuality a lot of those locations are determined by residents who are calling and complaining about people running stop signs, speeding, etc.
OCPD's unmarked units are not ran fulltime, nor assigned to officers. These have very specific directives in how they are used, and that's mandated at a FEDERAL level as well they are usually funded by FEDERAL money, usually NHTSA and NRSF. In order for the dept to receive the money, they have to follow those directives and policies. Several years ago, one of those unmarked units actually caught a police impersonator here in OKC. It's happened several times actually. And remember, the police depts job is not just to deter crime or create compliance, but to ENFORCE the law. Says so right there in their job title.
What happens when people see a marked unit? Everyone slows down. What do they do as soon as the officer turns off? Speeds up. Compliance only lasts while the cop is there. But what do people do if they know unmarked cars like to run traffic in the area? Last year I was driving across the Tampa Bay bridge. Guy in a BMW convertible just about takes me out. Ran another car off into the shoulder, weaving in and out of traffic, speeding, aggressively driving, tailgating, cutting people off etc. I spot a slick top police car a few lengths behind me. Takes him the whole length of the bridge to catch up to the guy, but he gets him pulled over at the first exit over the bridge, and absolutely tears into him. Had it been a marked unit, the guy would have just sat there until the officer drove away, and continued his aggressive driving. The guy may not be a better driver forever, but I bet he watched his P's and Q's for a while after that.
The worst thing that damages the department is people, that get caught doing things wrong and wine about it. If you are not braking the law, it does not matter what they drive. No law says they have to be marked.
What is the difference, in terms of 'ambushing', between an unmarked car in plain sight vs a marked car that is hidden from view when someone speeds past?
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