Foreign cars used as police cars? (lease, vehicles, sedan, SUVs)

[starliner 61]

In Europe and Japan, those cars are not "foreign". They are cop cars.

Moscow police did purchase used Crown Vics some years ago and really had some fun with them.

[texdav]

I know a few year ago ;mercedes did testing and gave San antonio :as I rememebr :car to use that were police equipped.I know that local police used smaller car and 6 cylinders in the 70's but found they didn't holdup as well to the demands. Caused a real problem in having enough serviceable cars available here.I also know that sate troopers hated the nuistang p[risiuit cars because of the cramped qaurter with all the equipment and having to wait on tranport because of two doors.The local police would even take a bid from Chrysler because of frontend problems.

[southernnaturelover]

Did anyone here watch "TopGear" a few days ago? They were experimenting with cheap cop cars for London streets. Basically they were saying the the cops there won't even do a pit maneuver because the cars cost so much to fix.

[Steve Bagu]

I was always under the impression that a highway patrol car or city police vehicle had to be identified with overhead Red/Blue lights and ID painted on the side...otherwise I may have to carry my 9mm with me to stop any highjacking of my car. Seriously...can understand the usage of the lights being inside the grill if a foreign made vehicle is used for undercover needs...traffic stops?...not in my book. Too many possibilitys of a crime being committed to inocent people. There have been incidents in the past that prove actual happenings. Example; the Red light bandit in Los Angeles in the late 40's.
Down to the nitty gritty...with all the equipment that police vehicles have to carry nowadays the only major source of supply is the Big Three in Detroit. Steve

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by Steve Bagu

I was always under the impression that a highway patrol car or city police vehicle had to be identified with overhead Red/Blue lights and ID painted on the side...otherwise I may have to carry my 9mm with me to stop any highjacking of my car. Seriously...can understand the usage of the lights being inside the grill if a foreign made vehicle is used for undercover needs...traffic stops?...not in my book. Too many possibilitys of a crime being committed to inocent people. There have been incidents in the past that prove actual happenings. Example; the Red light bandit in Los Angeles in the late 40's.
Down to the nitty gritty...with all the equipment that police vehicles have to carry nowadays the only major source of supply is the Big Three in Detroit. Steve

Nope, sorry. Completely unmarked and unidentified cars are very legal and frequently used in many states and localities for many police functions.

They can have virtually every aspect of their true function hidden behind grills; ie, speed detection units hidden, pursuit lights hidden, cameras hidden, radio gear not visible in the interior, etc.

That's how some folks can get confused by a "red light bandit" impersonating a police officer, when they use a little "gumball" red light on their rooftop for a traffic stop. Best to keep your cellphone handy and use it for 911 to verify that it's a legitimate stop in progress before stopping. That's why the "real" unmarked cars will have the hidden lights in the grill or lamp units as opposed to only having a gumball.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Steve Bagu

I was always under the impression that a highway patrol car or city police vehicle had to be identified with overhead Red/Blue lights and ID painted on the side...

I used to think that too Probably 20 varieties of unmarked cars in our area, They have been using confiscated drug dealer's cars for several yrs and using them (Planes and choppers as well).

Aspen also got Saab's ...changing over to Volvo XC90's.

The Vail Fire Volvo XC90 is pretty sweet, it frequents FtC on weekends. Cost of housing can cut into the $25/ hr police pay in Vail.

I saw a diesel BMW SUV in Texas used by police a few years ago. They were able to get this nice (and non-compliant) car imported due to their law 'connections'.

[Coldjensens]

CHP supposedly had some Panterras for high speed pursuit. Not sure if they still ahve them. No idea where the Panterra is/was made. I think that they have ford engines.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

CHP supposedly had some Panterras for high speed pursuit. Not sure if they still ahve them. No idea where the Panterra is/was made. I think that they have ford engines.

The '70s Panteras had the Ford 351 V-8 engine.

[Mike from back east]

For years, the police in Falls Church, VA used Volvo's.

The Mayor of Falls Church ran a Volvo dealership in the town.

Just a co-incidence of course.

Falls Church maintained a 25MPH limit on the main road through town (Rte 7, aka Broad Street) and used radar with a vengeance to fill the town coffers from drivers heading from outer suburbs to big employment centers closer in.

[Innovator831021]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Falls Church maintained a 25MPH limit on the main road through town (Rte 7, aka Broad Street) and used radar with a vengeance to fill the town coffers from drivers heading from outer suburbs to big employment centers closer in.

Traffic law enforcement in this country is reprehensible. The law should be less focused putting money in pockets and more oriented toward training people how to drive through these penalties known as tickets. I am disgusted each and every day as I encounter people much older than myself who are completely incapable of following basic traffic rules... hogging passing, going to slow, incorrectly turning, late/no signaling, meandering the list is endless. Instead we have people who fear getting a speeding ticket and thats it... when in fact safe speeding is the best thing that could ever happen to traffic flow.