APD officers go undercover in construction zones

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Some years ago before 183 north was turned into an expressway, I was driving southbound by the DPS building in the Anderson Mill area. Saw a group of about a dozen DPS troopers standing near the curb, apparently a training class for using radar guns - because all of them raised their radar guns in unison and pointed them in my direction (was in a pack of cars traveling about the speed limit).

It was pretty funny to see the dozen or so cars ahead of me all hit their brakes at the same time. It looked like Christmas!

I'm surprised it didn't cause an accident.

[TexasHorseLady]

So, if they're not visible, it's a problem, if they're too visible, it's a problem?

Heck, let's just get rid of traffic enforcement all together and let everyone decide how good a driver they are and how fast they should drive.

I guess it's one way of thinning the herd; unfortunately, with this approach, it's all too often not the ones that need to be thinned out that are.

[Nighthawks11]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

How can you say its not a clandestine operation when the officers involved are obviously trying to hid their true identity and purpose?


.

In my opinion they are neither trying to hide their identity or purpose. I believe that they are using this news article as a force multiplier. To every person that reads this story, every construction worker with survey equipment COULD be a police officer. That is a whole bunch of added visibility. You just turned every guy on the side of the road in a vest and a hard hat into that police car sitting on the side of the road. It's not clandestine because it is out in the open, it's news. The police department briefed the news station so that they would write up a story on it. If it was meant to just trick motorist, would we not want to keep it as our own little secret?

[TexasHorseLady]

Thank you, Nighthawks11, for stating what should have been obvious if one was really thinking about it.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

So, if they're not visible, it's a problem, if they're too visible, it's a problem?

Who said if they are too visible it is a problem? I'm all in favor of it. There is a highway patrolmen living down the street so his black and white vehicle is often parked in front of his house. I love having him in the neighborhood.

Heck, let's just get rid of traffic enforcement all together and let everyone decide how good a driver they are and how fast they should drive.

I guess it's one way of thinning the herd; unfortunately, with this approach, it's all too often not the ones that need to be thinned out that are.

No one has recommended these approaches but you.

[Nighthawks11]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I do think that this is good public relations, we need to be able to discuss and debate with each other on equal grounds rather then when one party is packing a gun, mace and a citation book.

I think that each party will only gain in an equal share what they are willing to give. I would make the argument that my gun, mace and cite book have little bearing on my character whether or not they are on my person. I do not drink Dr. Jekyll's potion when strapping on my gun belt or pinning on my badge of office.