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Has anyone else noticed the metamorphosis of local and state police cars turning into black unmarked patrol cars? The standard police industry of putting police lights on the roof/top of patrol cars is declining. New police cars have only hidden lights. No door markings. No signage as to signaling that this black car is a police car.
Yes, there are some towns that still have the black and white patrol cars. Yes, some towns still have the town symbol on each front door with name of town. Yes, there still is the green state police cars.
But more and more there are all black unmarked police cars. City, town, and state police.
Maybe all of these newer police cars are "detective" cars or "undercover" police cars.
Yet I see more and more black unmarked police cars doing routine police patrols. In my town the police cars went from decades of all white cars to presently all black cars.
What is the reason that some/many police cars are all becoming unmarked black cars?
Does it make any difference to you? Do you care?
As long as the city or town that you live in hires good qualified police officers - the color and markings of the police cars makes no difference to you?
Is New Hampshire becoming a "police state" or is this just the normal evolution of police car technology?
The "stealth" police cars that bother me are Staties. But that's mostly because of my experiences in the Midwest where the state troopers loved to zoom up on drivers at night with the police car's high beams on, then tailgate in hopes that the driver would speed up and earn themselves a ticket.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unit731
Is New Hampshire becoming a "police state" or is this just the normal evolution of police car technology?
With improved LED technology, it's become practical to mount the "rooftop" lights inside the vehicle, out of the elements.
While I would prefer that police cars were painted bright international orange so I can better see them while they are stopped for whatever reason I will doubt that will ever happen. This is because Black has become the color of power and police depend on the perception of power to do their jobs. the OP instinctively recognizes this and resents it.
The reality is that police car color does not matter. Police are armed representatives of the government and that makes them intimidating.
It's purely a cost saving measure. As a resident and property tax payer you should be glad that police departments are going with simpler designs on their patrol cars.
As most police agencies migrate their fleets to larger vehicles like the Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Tahoe, it is far easier and less expensive to put simple vinyl graphics on the vehicle - or no markings at all - than to paint different body panels contrasting colors.
Personally, I have not seen many departments going to all black vehicles. Most still go with the traditional two color vehicles except in the cases of unmarked cars. I have seen some of the ghost marked cars like the one shown below but never a department full of them.
As for cost savings, yes one color is less expensive. But Ford is offering white vinyl wraps on black cars and side lettering direct from the factory that makes it easier and cheaper than what the local upfitters can do. Few departments are actually painting anymore as the vinyl wrap is much cheaper and simplifies disposing of the vehicles at the end of their service life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gf2020
It's purely a cost saving measure. As a resident and property tax payer you should be glad that police departments are going with simpler designs on their patrol cars.
As most police agencies migrate their fleets to larger vehicles like the Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Tahoe, it is far easier and less expensive to put simple vinyl graphics on the vehicle - or no markings at all - than to paint different body panels contrasting colors.
They've been around for awhile...some you won't even recognize that they are police cars but I believe they are used by detectives. But I know Lee recently did the same with very faint badge on the side. Around Portsmouth I've seen a black Charger and SUV run by State Police.
Honestly it doesn't bother me. It's not like they're stalking you. I've talked to plenty of them, cool people for the most part as long as you're not being a dick and violating the law (yes I've been pulled over plenty of times for speeding but with a warning...).
On a side note I did notice Portsmouth PD is running LIDAR (PL3's) for speed enforcement. First time I've seen a local police in the Seacoast area use LIDAR gun which I've only seen with State Police and other towns like Bedford.
And at night of course they are impossible to see if they're running radar. Maine State Police use that tactic with their unmarked Ford Taurus at night (and only it seems) on 95 between Kittery and Portland. They'll ride on the left lane at the speed limit and catch anyone going by quickly. I've seen few people getting pulled over.
It's purely a cost saving measure. As a resident and property tax payer you should be glad that police departments are going with simpler designs on their patrol cars.
As most police agencies migrate their fleets to larger vehicles like the Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Tahoe, it is far easier and less expensive to put simple vinyl graphics on the vehicle - or no markings at all - than to paint different body panels contrasting colors.
So with the examples you included, you're saying that black vinyl lettering is a cost saving measure over something that would actually be readable, like white?
Sorry, cost savings has nothing to do with it, it's about being harder to spot by the general public.
In China, police cars always have their colored lights on- day and night. I guess they want people to know they are around.
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Stealthy cop cars
