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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bigfug" data-source="post: 4115648" data-attributes="member: 4864">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.</blockquote>

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