In the San Mateo Garage: 2006 Crown Victoria Police Cruiser [w/DUMMY]
There are few things more jarring than when you're doing 80 on the freeway and spot a well-concealed police cruiser. You immediately begin to sweat, get your story straight, perform a mental check-list of license and registration, then watch the rearview mirror like a hawk to see if he pulls out. If you get the ticket, your day is ruined. If the cop was looking down, eating a donut, or just wanted a more brazen offender, flowers smell sweeter and your step is a little lighter. The San Mateo police know this all too well, but a tight budget and too few officers makes putting more cops on the street all but impossible. So drivers have been flying through the suburban streets of San Mateo without the worry of an expensive, time consuming ticket. To put a wrench in the plans of would-be traffic violators, the police have enlisted volunteers to drive actual cop cars and park them somewhere in their own neighborhood. To make the cars look more official, officer David Coy (alias: D-Coy) has been commissioned to sit behind the wheel, but this guy is as dumb as they come. D-Coy is a mannequin, and he sits behind the wheel to make the city's ruse more effective. So far, drivers are fooled, as most are obeying traffic laws under Coy's watch. We're questioning, however, why the police department would talk to the local news paper about its own deception. Officers say they want more volunteers, but what they'll likely get is area drivers that ignore their decoy. We just hope the guy we pass on I-75 every day is replaced with Dave real soon.
[Source: San Mateo Daily News (pic by Victor Maccharoli), via All Cars, All The Time]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
James 4:50PM (7/28/2008)
You think that parking a $25,000 cop car is a money saving ruse? Try using a cardboard cut out instead.
http://current.com/items/89067563_cut_out_police_car_to_combat_speeding_in_ireland
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Randy 11:25PM (7/28/2008)
Or simply blue reflectors (.99cents) near bushes that could conceal a cop car. I hit my brakes whenever I see a blue reflection. Usually from the car in front of me with the CD hanging in their rear view (dolts). ;)
Liquid 4:50PM (7/28/2008)
get my story "strait"?? like dire straits, or Bering Strait? Sorry to nitpick but this error was blatant.
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lori 11:22AM (7/29/2008)
Nitpick away! Did the editor forget to edit?
xpolarx 4:56PM (7/28/2008)
The dummy needs a mustache and a fat ass if it's going to fool anyone. That, and a false sense of entitlement the size of the grand canyon.
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Carl 5:03PM (7/28/2008)
Hey there, good lookin'; catch any speeders today?
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Blake 6:52PM (7/28/2008)
Super Troopers, right?
MONTE 5:13PM (7/28/2008)
The first time I saw this was in Knoxville, TN about 15yrs ago and it is fun watching people slam their brakes on to slow down. After a couple of weeks people got used to it and one day there was a Dunkin Donuts box sitting on the hood of the car. That pissed off the police enough to come on the news looking for information on who did it because they said it would be prosecuted as destruction of government property. All stereotypes are based in reality, but I guess they just don't agree.
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turbo-quattro 8:25PM (7/28/2008)
hahaha. dont see how that's destruction of govt property though. the box was probably fairly easily disposed of.
Dustin 5:36PM (7/28/2008)
They can talk about their deception all they want. Are you going to risk speeding if you don't know whether the policeman "watching you" is real or fake?
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Justin C 5:49PM (7/28/2008)
Wow, I'm just impressed that San Mateo (my town) actually got recognized in a nationally (and internationally?) read blog! Cool!
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bduddy 1:15AM (7/30/2008)
Ooh, someone else from here reads this blog? Someone in my family has actually seen that dummy...
Benfolio 5:57PM (7/28/2008)
That is not a 2006. The streering wheel is all wrong. They changed in 2005.
Not to mention the interior color and door panels give it away CLEARLY as a '98-'02.
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Benfolio 6:00PM (7/28/2008)
For awhile here in Milwaukee County the Sherriff's Dept. was using one of thier least used vehicles, an XJ Cherokee, and just leaving it parked empty on the side of the highway.
It worked for a little while, then people wised up. Then they's move it, or take it away for a little while, then bring it back.
It's not there anymore. Wonder what happened?
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campgal 1:11PM (7/29/2008)
IT WAS CARJACKED ON FRIDAY NITE .
Scott 6:07PM (7/28/2008)
They do that in Palos Verdes in Los Angeles, but they don't have a dummy. They have a Crown Vic with limo tint, it parks in different places and at different times of the week, and about 25% of the time they have an un-tinted car with an officer who is actually catching speeders.
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Scott 6:07PM (7/28/2008)
They do that in Palos Verdes in Los Angeles, but they don't have a dummy. They have a Crown Vic with limo tint, it parks in different places and at different times of the week, and about 25% of the time they have an un-tinted car with an officer who is actually catching speeders.
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Mi key 7:03PM (7/28/2008)
Just noticed one of these fake cruisers near Beverly Hills Police/Fire Station just the other day. I didn't have a D-coy in it but it had dark tinted windows.
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William 7:31PM (7/28/2008)
I pass one of these every morning in Alabaster Al.
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Quicksilver 8:58PM (7/28/2008)
The police dept here used to park a cruiser on the highway. One day someone put a couple bullet holes in it. They don't park it there anymore.
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