Drivers in California will need to start keeping their eyes peeled for a new profile as they cruise the freeways. The traditional Crown Vics have apparently been joined by a fleet of 88 new unmarked Dodge Chargers. The new cop cars were spotted at the Sacramento vehicle preparation facility that the California Highway Patrol uses to outfit new cars. Unlike the model that we recently drove, these are unlikely to draw much attention from onlookers before they pounce. Speaking of Dodge police vehicles, drivers traversing I-94 in the vicinity of Detroit Metro Airport should watch their velocity ,as police in that area have recently been spending an inordinate amount of time writing tickets. On the way to a meeting in Dearborn yesterday, there were four unmarked Dodges, including a pair of Magnums (one each in red and grey) and a pair of Chargers. Those Magnums have been in that same location three times in the past month.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
YouFaceTheTick @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:37PM
CHP = scummiest people on earth. They exist to punish and torment taxpayers. What kind of a person takes a job where their ONLY goal is to harass people for no reason?
fbxcore @ Feb 24th 2008 1:12PM
Well, I do appreciate seeing the douchebag who can't stay in the same lane for 5 seconds who is doing 100mph on a 65mph freeway getting pulled over.
AM @ Feb 24th 2008 3:04PM
I have driven in CA. Theres a reason.
4bush @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:49PM
Just as you cross from AZ to Utah you may see or not see these Chargers ranging in colors of Gun-Metal Grey, Dark Blue and some in White.
As well as the marked Highway Patrol, Sheriff, local Police and State Police Charges.
So be careful on I-15 through Utah...
judd @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:58PM
Gotta get that budget to the positive somehow.
Eric Biran @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:01PM
(From the linked article above:)
"Most of the new cars are slated for undercover operation, although nine will be retained in Sacramento for training use. The order was placed last year, but it seems the agency has now taken delivery of its new undercover cars. And soon they'll be out on the streets."
I don't think they can legally pull people over in an unmarked car like this unless it's some sort of emergency. It wouldn't make sense to employ them as speed traps unless a standard black-and-white was the one actually giving out the tickets down the road anyway. I mean, would you pull over if a civilian muscle car flashed some lights and a few red and blue LEDs at you?
Question Authority @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:51PM
You are correct. Police cars MUST be distinctively marked.
In fact, the cops have to meet a whole list of criteria before you can be considred evading the police if you do not pull over. People have have been robbed, brutalized, raped and killed by people impersonating the police.
Here is the list from the Californai Vehicle Code. ALL of the following conditions must exist before the police can legally pull you over:
2800.1. (a) Any person who, while operating a motor vehicle and with the intent to evade, willfully flees or otherwise attempts to elude a pursuing peace officer's motor vehicle, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year if all of the following conditions exist:
(1) The peace officer's motor vehicle is exhibiting at least one lighted red lamp visible from the front and the person either sees or reasonably should have seen the lamp.
(2) The peace officer's motor vehicle is sounding a siren as may be reasonably necessary.
(3) The peace officer's motor vehicle is distinctively marked.
(4) The peace officer's motor vehicle is operated by a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, and that peace officer is wearing a distinctive uniform.
(b) Any person who, while operating a motor vehicle and with the intent to evade, willfully flees or otherwise attempts to elude a pursuing peace officer’s bicycle, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year if the following conditions exist:
(1) The peace officer's bicycle is distinctively marked.
(2) The peace officer's bicycle is operated by a peace officer, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), and that peace officer is wearing a distinctive uniform.
(3) The peace officer gives a verbal command to stop.
(4) The peace officer sounds a horn that produces a sound of at least 115 decibels.
(5) The peace officer gives a hand signal commanding the person to stop.
(6) The person is aware or reasonably should have been aware of the verbal command, horn, and hand signal, but refuses to comply with the command to stop.
Chris @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:11PM
yay?
Ohso Clutch @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:29PM
intresting.....but i have question for the viewing public.
Has anyone here ever been UNABLE to spot an unmarked police car? Big sedans with dog dish hubcaps just seem to stand out to me.
sdiori @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:48PM
^^^Not that simple. Here in Chicago, I've seen plain-wrapper police Tahoes with Euro clear lights other aftermarket goodies...w/ rims....bizarre. Some of the surrounding suburbs are hyper-aggressive in writing tickets. Heck, I've even been pulled over by a Illinois State Trooper in a Caravan.
Daniel @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:56PM
I got pulled over by a new Impala SS. and the funny this is, I thought to myself that it's a (semi-)nice looking car, right before it flashed its lights :(
Daniel @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:57PM
Oh and sdiori: a lot of the time, those cars you see were seized vehicles
madgamer @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:47PM
@sdori they use stuff like that in tennessee as well. I've seen 300Cs with 2 tone paint jobs and 22's that turn out to be cop cars with people pulled over etc. just today in north carolina I saw a completely unmarked metalic blue charger with some guy pulled over, lights flashing. from the outside you would never know though.
Mike S. @ Feb 24th 2008 2:09AM
The Massachusetts State Police has a completely plain looking red Ford Mustang on patrol sometimes. First time I saw it was when it turned its lights on in my rearview mirror. Scared the living daylights out of me. Luckily I wasn't his victim
Brendan @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:53PM
For once I'm actually happy about the state of highways in Connecticut. Then again, they probably let people speed since there's always a traffic jam 5 minutes away.
Fooman @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:57PM
Great first the Polar bears in all white no light bar Vics...
Now Black Bears in black chargers...
Although the one that scared me the most was in South Orange County, OC Sheriff had no light bar Taurus..(Tauri?)
RLQ @ Feb 23rd 2008 7:03PM
Nothing new here CHP has been having un-marked cars for ages. Just w/ Dodge Chargers now.
Bruxell @ Feb 23rd 2008 7:28PM
I do hope the CHP keep these cars for undercover work, though I wonder what the CHP need unmarked cars for in the first place. It's not like they're real cops or anything, more the meter-maids of the highway. They're tax collectors, nothing more, nothing less. Honestly, the whole branch should be moved from a free-standing law enforcement agency, to a subsidiary of the state tax board...
Dave @ Feb 24th 2008 9:02AM
Actually, they have investigators who go after auto theft rings, etc. They also do protective duty for the governor and other high-profile people.
As for being used as "unmarked" vehicles, there's some sort of law here that states CHP cars must have "white front doors with official markings." So, all those Camaros you used to see (and Mustangs years ago and Crown Vics today) are just solid white with lower-profile lighting and antenna equipment.
BlazerUnit @ Feb 24th 2008 2:57PM
I don't know about CHPs in California, but the Alabama State Troopers definitely have policing powers, in conjunction with local law enforcement (or without in emergency situations). Major highway patrol is still their dominating concern, though.