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The Tahoe PPV's are 2wd only. It wasn't until this year that GM decided to have 4x4 as an option in the 2015 model. There are lots of places across the country where the roads are not made of concrete, asphalt along with severe weather conditions make it a nice option.
As for "Phantom" LE vehicles parked, agencies do this for several reasons. Crime deterrence, speed and motor vehicle law compliance, high visibility etc without having the tax payer pay for a body to be seated in it.
You know that you live in a low crime area when the police have so much available time to come up with new ways of having 'productive time' for enforcing traffic laws to generate revenue. And now they have new toys, 'license plate readers'. Got to get that guy who didn't pay the traffic fine from 2 years ago.
The police are no different than civilians, they "think" they need 4WD.
Even civilians need 4WD sometimes. Ever tried to haul a heavy boat up a slippery ramp in a 2WD truck? I watched one guy try it at low tide when I lived near Seattle. He had to recruit half a dozen people swimming on the beach to come sit on the tailgate so he could get his boat out of the water.
As far as unmarked cars go, I wouldn't be surprised to find most PDs have at least on or two. I saw the WA state patrol running a speed trap on I-5 with a brown Corolla with tinted windows once. I know it was a Corolla because I drove the same car at the time. An officer sat in the Corolla with a radar gun, while a fleet of marked patrol cars pulled over the speeders before the next exit.
Even civilians need 4WD sometimes. Ever tried to haul a heavy boat up a slippery ramp in a 2WD truck? I watched one guy try it at low tide when I lived near Seattle. He had to recruit half a dozen people swimming on the beach to come sit on the tailgate so he could get his boat out of the water.
As far as unmarked cars go, I wouldn't be surprised to find most PDs have at least on or two. I saw the WA state patrol running a speed trap on I-5 with a brown Corolla with tinted windows once. I know it was a Corolla because I drove the same car at the time. An officer sat in the Corolla with a radar gun, while a fleet of marked patrol cars pulled over the speeders before the next exit.
Not denying that some do. but in reality most don't. I have two F150s sitting out front right now. Neither are 4WD. Why? Because, as I looked at what I do and where I go (which does include driving into fields on tractor paths when I'm hunting) I decided I really wouldn't use it enough to justify the cost, both initial and life cycle, of it. Thinking back since 2003 when I bought the first one I could have used 4WD a total of maybe four times but I got by without it in each case.
What it's done where I live has increased the number of officer involved crashes, some of which have resulted in civilian deaths. None of which have been the bad guy. The only bad guy deaths occurred when they weren't even being chased but were making their getaway before any police response.
Years ago, (years ago) our city would take cars confiscated in crimes and use them as "trap" cars. What I mean by that is they would cruise up and down the main drag on the weekends and act like a bunch of teenagers and blending in looking for kids doing stupid stuff. One night, a buddy of mine and his friend were cruising and drinking a few beers. A tricked out Camero pulled up beside them and there were 2 girls in it. They asked where the party was. The passenger in my friends car raised his beer and said "Right here baby!" The girls laughed. Backed down. Pulled behind them. Turned on the dashboard blue lights and pulled them over. Ticketed them for open container. Nowadays, that would have ended in a DUI.
Three years ago we just flew into LAX and hit the rental car place for our vehicle...........well the guy tried the song and dance about upgrading (work had booked us a sub compact), I bantered back with him and he throws out the question...........do we like big cars. I guess no one wanted to rent the Crown Vics he had on the lot for whatever reason, looks, gas mileage etc. We wound up with a black Crown Vic. Let me tell you it was a blast all weekend as we must have looked like a couple of undercover cops.......we would be in the high speed lane and everyone would get out of our way....... when tooling around town we got lots of stares. Too cool.................small thing but made for a memorable trip.
Dude seriously, come on....you looked like a taxi cab.
I saw an unmarked newer model taurus pulling over an 18 wheeler one day. The windows were tinted so dark you couldn't see who was in it. I knew it was a police car before he even pulled over the guy because of the funny antennae.
Raleigh area has several confiscated muscle cars used for patrol cars.
"Will drag you for titles"
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