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Encyclopedia > Police car

Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor of the United States Federal Protective Service. Most North American police forces use the Crown Victoria and/or Chevrolet Impala.
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor of the United States Federal Protective Service. Most North American police forces use the Crown Victoria and/or Chevrolet Impala.

A police car is a vehicle used by a police force to assist with their duties. Typical uses of a police car would be for officers to use to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to patrol an area for suspected trouble, to provide a high visibility deterrent to crime or to detain and transport criminal suspects. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links US_Federal_Protective_Service_Vehicle. ... Image File history File links US_Federal_Protective_Service_Vehicle. ... The Police Interceptor (often referred to simply as CVPI) is the law enforcement version of the 1999 and later Ford Crown Victoria. ... Federal Protective Service vehicle. ... 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... Police officers in South Australia A police officer (or policeman/policewoman) is a warranted worker of a police force. ... Deterrence is a theory from behavioural psychology about preventing or controlling actions or behavior through fear of punishment or retribution. ... for other uses please see Crime (disambiguation) A crime is an act that violates a political or moral law. ... For the 1987 movie starring Cher, see Suspect (film). ...


Police cars have a number of nicknames and may be known as (police) cruiser, squad car, prowler, radio car, panda car, area car, scout car, patrol car. In some places a police car may also be nicknamed a cop car, a Black & White, a cherry top, or a jam sandwich. Depending on the configuration of the emergency lights, a police car may also be called a marked unit or slick top.Undercover cars can be called "Silver Bullets". See also Fiat Panda. ... Black and white is a slang term for a police car because they are painted in large panels of black and white, or blue (usually light blue) and white. ... Cherry top is American slang which refers to a specific type of Police car with only red rotating emergency vehicle lighting mounted to the roof. ... A jam sandwich. ... German emergency vehicles with all blue lights flashing. ...

Contents

Image File history File links Polizeihamburg. ... Image File history File links Polizeihamburg. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ...

Usage

In many areas of the world, particularly the developed world, the police car has become a more widely used form of transport than officers or constables "walking a beat". This has principally been because a shift in the focus of policing away from high visibility with "an officer on every street corner" to more focused services[citation needed], sending officers out in response to incidents, and also allowing patrols to cover a much greater area in less time. This has the advantage of being able to get police resource to incidents in less time, and also for officers to be able to carry out their routine duties (such as taking witness statements) more easily. For the painter, see John Constable. ...

Advocates[attribution needed] of community policing often cite this shift in to vehicles, and away from face to face contact, as a reason for breakdowns in relations with the community. As such, these organisations often ask police departments to encourage constables to spend less time in their vehicles and more time walking the streets and interacting with the community. This has led to some countries and forces, such as Britain introducing more walking patrols, using either fully sworn Police Officers or Police Community Support Officers. A car of the Devon and Cornwall Police, photographed in Ilfracombe, North Devon, England. ... A car of the Devon and Cornwall Police, photographed in Ilfracombe, North Devon, England. ... Devon and Cornwall Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly. ... The Ford Focus is a small family car made by Ford and sold in most Ford markets worldwide. ... It has been suggested that List of cultural venues and events in Ilfracombe be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... In 1967, state-of-the-art policing was exemplified by a fast response to radio calls in this Black-and-White and a crowd drawn by the siren and flashing lights. ... Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) are uniformed personnel working with the police in England and Wales. ...


Functional types

There are several types of police car. Some forces operate only one type, whereas others may have all the different vehicles. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

A Chevrolet Impala police car from Montreal. The Impala is the second-best selling police car in North America.
A Chevrolet Impala police car from Montreal. The Impala is the second-best selling police car in North America.
  1. Patrol car - The car used to replace walking for the 'beat' police officer.[1] These cars would typically be of a relatively standard construction. Their primary function is to convey normal police officers between their duties (taking statements, visiting witnesses etc.), and are also likely to be used to respond to emergencies,[2] and as such would most likely be fitted with visual and audible warnings.
  2. Response car - A response car is similar to a patrol car, but is likely to be of a higher specification, capable of faster speeds and will certainly be fitted with audible and visual warnings. These cars are (almost) only ever used to respond to emergency incidents, so are designed to travel fast, and may carry specialist equipment (such as large firearms)[3][4][5]
  3. Traffic car - Also known as Road Policing Units, these cars are designed for the job of enforcing traffic laws, and as such usually have the highest performance of any of the police vehicles, as they must be capable of catching most other vehicles on the road. In addition, they may be fitted with special bumpers designed to force other vehicles off the road. They may also have different type of visual and audible warning, with special audible warnings which can be heard from a greater distance.
  4. Multi purpose car - Some police forces do not distinguish between Patrol, Response and Traffic cars, and may use one vehicle to fulfill some or all roles. These cars are usually a compromise between the different functions.
  5. Community liaison car - This type of car is used by some forces, and is a standard production car, visibly marked, but without audible and visual warning devices. It is used by community police officers to show a presence, and transport them between jobs, but does not respond to emergencies.[6][7]
  6. Unmarked car - Many forces also operate unmarked cars, in any of the roles shown above, but most frequently in traffic and as response cars for detectives. They have the advantage of not being immediately recognisable. For this reason they are a valuable tool in catching criminals 'in the act'.[8] In some areas, these may be known as slick top or ghost cars.
  7. Dog unit Car (K9) - This type of car is used to transport police dogs to and from incidents or duties. In some jurisdictions, this will be a station wagon or car based van, due to the installation of cages to carry the dogs.[9]
  8. Surveillance car - Forces may operate dedicated surveillance cars. These cars can be marked or unmarked, and are there to gather evidence of any criminal offence being committed. Overt marked cars may have obvious CCTV cameras mounted on the roof to discourage wrongdoing, whereas unmarked would have them hidden inside. These types of vehicles are very common in the UK
  9. High visibility decoy car - Some police forces use vehicles (or sometimes fake 'cut outs' of vehicles) to deter crime in a certain area. They may be old vehicles retired from use, stock models made to look like police cars, or simply a metal sign, made to look like a police car. They are placed in areas thought to be susceptible to crime in order to provide a high visibility presence without committing an officer. In 2005, Virginia's (United States) legislature considered a bill which provided, in part:Whenever any law-enforcement vehicle is permanently taken out of service...such vehicle shall be placed at a conspicuous location within a highway median in order to deter violations of motor vehicle laws at that location. Such vehicles shall...be rotated from one location to another as needed to maintain their deterrent effect...[10]
  10. Bait car - Police forces may operate cars used to trap criminals who are stealing cars (by carjacking, breaking in or other means). The car is taken to a place where it is known to be at risk of theft, and allowed to be stolen. The police then track the vehicle, and can kill the engine by remote control, along with locking the doors. The same technique can be used to place portable items of value such as GPS units with an inbuilt tracker.
  11. Rescue unit - In some jurisdictions, the Police may operate the rescue service, and special units will be required for this.
  12. Demonstration cars - cars which are not for active duty, but simply for display. These are often high performance or modified cars, sometimes seized from criminals, used to try to get across specific messages (such as with the D.A.R.E. program), or to help break down barriers with certain groups (such as using a car with modified 'jumping' suspension as a talking point with youths)
Guardia di Finanza police, in central Rome.
Guardia di Finanza police, in central Rome.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - Total 365. ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Police officers in South Australia A police officer (or policeman/policewoman) is a warranted worker of a police force. ... Hertfordshire Constabulary RPU Vauxhall Monterey The Road Policing Unit (RPU) is the modern term for the traffic department of British police forces. ... A detective is an officer of the police who performs criminal or administrative investigations, in some police departments, the lowest rank among such investigators (above the lowest rank of officers and below sergeants), a civilian licensed to investigate information not readily available in public records (a private investigator, also called... for other uses please see Crime (disambiguation) A crime is an act that violates a political or moral law. ... Police dog getting ready to search a vehicle for drugs A policemans dog is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... For other uses, see Surveillance (disambiguation). ... CCTV can stand for: China Central Television Closed-circuit television This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... A bait car is a generic term used for a vehicle that has been rigged by a law enforcement agency with the intent of capturing car thieves. ... Carjacking is the crime of stealing a motor vehicle when the vehicle is occupied. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE or D.A.R.E., is an educational program aimed primarily at fifth-grade students which seeks to discourage the use of illegal drugs. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 498 pixelsFull resolution (1984 × 1234 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 498 pixelsFull resolution (1984 × 1234 pixel, file size: 2. ... Coat of Arms of the Guardia di Finanza The Italian Financial Guard, in Italian Guardia di Finanza, () is an Italian military police force under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ...

Equipment

Police cars are usually passenger car models which are upgraded to the specifications required by the purchasing force. Several vehicle manufacturers, such as Ford and General Motors, provide a "police pack" option, which are built to police specifications in the factory. Police forces may add to these modifications by adding their own equipment and making their own modifications after purchasing a vehicle. “Ford” redirects here. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, an American multinational corporation, is the worlds largest auto company by production volume for the first 9 months of 2007, and by sales volume for 76 consecutive years. ...


Modifications a police car might undergo include adjustments for higher durability, speed, high mileage driving and long periods of idling at a higher temperature. This is usually accomplished by heavy duty suspension, brakes, calibrated speedometer, tires, alternator, transmission and cooling systems, and also sometimes includes slight modifications to the car's stock engine or the installation of a more powerful engine than would be standard in that model. It is also usual to upgrade the capacity of the electrics of the car to accommodate the use of additional electronic equipment. The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ... For the type of ferns known as brakes, see brake (fern). ... Tires may refer to: the plural of tire the Italian name for Tiers, Italy, a town in South Tyrol, Italy Category: ... Early 20th century Alternator made in Budapest, Hungary, in the power generating hall of a hydroelectric station. ... Look up Transmission in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Engine (disambiguation). ...


Audible and visual warnings

Police vehicles are often fitted with audible and visual warning systems to alert other motorists of their approach or position on the road. In addition to all of the equipment that a non-emergency vehicle is fitted with (eg: headlights, steering wheel, windshield/windscreen), emergency vehicles are fitted with additional emergency vehicle equipment. ... In addition to all of the equipment that a non-emergency vehicle is fitted with (eg: headlights, steering wheel, windshield/windscreen), emergency vehicles are fitted with additional emergency vehicle equipment. ...


In many countries, use of the audible and visual warnings affords the officer a degree of exemption from road traffic laws (such as the right to exceed speed limits, treat red stop lights as give way etc.) and may also infer a duty on other motorists to move out of the direction of passage of the police car (or face possible prosecution)


Visual warnings on a police car can be of two types - either passive or active.


Passive visual warnings

Passive visual warnings are the markings on the vehicle. Police vehicle markings usually make use of bright colours or strong contrast with the base colour of the vehicle. Modern police vehicles in some countries have retroreflective markings which reflect light for better visibility at night. Other police vehicles may only have painted on or non-reflective markings. Most marked police vehicles in the United Kingdom have reflective Battenburg markings on the sides, which are large blue and yellow rectangles.[11] These markings are designed to have high contrast and be highly visible on the road, to deter crime and improve safety. Retroreflectors are clearly visible in a pair of bicycle shoes. ... This article is about emergency vehicle markings. ...


Police vehicle marking schemes usually include the word "Police" or similar phrase (such as "State Trooper" or "Highway Patrol") or the force's crest.


Some police forces use unmarked vehicles, which do not have any passive visual warnings at all.


Active visual warnings

The active visual warnings are usually in the form of flashing coloured lights (also known as 'beacons' or 'lightbars'). These flash in order to attract the attention of other road users as the police car approaches, or to provide warning to motorists approaching a stopped vehicle in a dangerous position on the road. Common colours for police warning beacons are blue and red, however this often varies by force. Several types of flashing lights are used, such as rotating beacons, halogen lights, or light emitting diode strobes. Some police forces also use arrow sticks to direct traffic, or message display boards to provide short messages or instructions to motorists. The headlights of some vehicles can be made to flash, or small strobe lights can be fitted in the headlight/tail light/indicator lights of the vehicle. A Japanese police unit with a red light bar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A Japanese police unit with a red light bar. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Incandescent light bulb#The halogen lamp. ... Various light-emitting diodes (5 mm reds, 3 mm greens and yellows) A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits incoherent monochromatic light when electrically biased in the forward direction. ... U-shaped Xenon Flash Lamp A xenon flash lamp is a gas discharge lamp designed to produce extremely intense, incoherent, full-spectrum white light for very short durations. ...


Audible warnings

In addition to visual warnings, most police cars are also fitted with audible warnings, sometimes known as sirens, which can alert people and vehicles to the presence of an emergency vehicle before they can be seen. The first audible warnings were mechanical bells, mounted to either the front or roof of the car. A later development was the rotating air siren, which made noise when air moved past it. Most modern vehicles are now fitted with electronic sirens, which can produce a range of different noises. Police driving training often includes the use of different noises depending on traffic conditions and manoeuvre being performed. For instance, on a clear road, approaching a junction, the 'wail' setting may be used, which gives a long up and down variation, with an unbroken tone, whereas, in heavy slow traffic, a 'yelp' setting may be preferred, which is like a wail, but sped up. Some vehicles may also be fitted with airhorn audible warnings. It has been suggested that Fire siren be merged into this article or section. ... An aerophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes, and without the vibration of the instrument itself adding considerably to the sound. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...


A development is the use of the RDS system of car radios, whereby the vehicle can be fitted with a short range FM transmitter, set to RDS code 31, which interrupts the radio of all cars within range, in the manner of a traffic broadcast, but in such a way that the user of the receiving radio is unable to opt out of the message (as with traffic broadcasts). This feature is built into all RDS radios for use in national emergency broadcast systems, but short range units on emergency vehicles can prove an effective means of alerting traffic to their presence, although is not able to alert pedestrians and non-RDS radio users. Radio Data System, or RDS, is a standard from the European Broadcasting Union for sending small amounts of digital information using conventional FM radio broadcasts. ... Radio transmition diagram and electromagnetic waves For other uses see: radio (disambiguation) Radio is a technology that allows the transmission of signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of light. ...


Police-specific equipment

Police officers additional equipment may include:

  • Two way radio - One of the most important pieces of equipment in modern law enforcement, and strongly linked with the development of the police car.[citation needed] Many forces have moved from traditional UHF/VHF sets, which can be monitored externally, to more secure systems, such as those working on a GSM system, such as TETRA
  • Equipment Consoles - Are used to house two way radios, light and siren switches. Some may be equipped with locking compartments for safe storage of firearms, file compartments and cup holders.
  • Suspect transport enclosures - These are dividers which ensure that a rear seat passenger (a suspect) is unable to attack the driver or passenger. These may be simple bars or grilles, although they can include bullet proof glass.
  • Firearm lockers - In certain countries some police vehicles are equipped with lockers in which to store firearms. These are usually tactical firearms such as shotguns or assault rifles, which would not normally be carried on the person of the officer.
  • Mobile data terminal - Many police cars are fitted with Mobile Data Terminals (or MDTs), which are connected via wireless methods to the police central computer, and enable the officer to call up information such as vehicle licence details, offender records, and incident logs.
  • Vehicle tracking system - Some police vehicles, especially traffic units, may be fitted with equipment which will alert the officers to the presence nearby of a stolen vehicle fitted with a special transponder, and guide them towards it, using GPS or simpler radio triangulation
  • Evidence gathering CCTV - Police vehicles can be fitted with video cameras used to record activity either inside or outside the car. They may also be fitted with sound recording facilities. This can then later be used in a court to prove or disprove witness statements, or act as evidence in itself (such as evidence of a traffic violation)
  • Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) - This computerised system uses cameras to observe the number plates of all vehicles passing or being passed by the police car, and alerts the driver or user to any cars which are on a 'watch list' as being stolen, used in crime, or having not paid vehicle duty.
  • Speed recognition device - Some police cars are fitted with devices to measure the speed of vehicles being followed, such as ProViDa, usually through a system of following the vehicle over 2 points a set distance apart. This is separate to any radar gun device which is likely to be handheld, and not attached to the vehicle.
  • Remote rear door locking - This enables officers in the front to remotely control the rear locks - usually used in conjunction with a transport enclosure.
  • Push Bumper - Fitted to the chassis of the car and located to augment the front bumper, to allow the car to be used as a battering ram, or to push other vehicles off the road.

Ultra high frequency (UHF) designates a range (band) of electromagnetic waves whose frequency is between 300 MHz and 3. ... Very high frequency (VHF) is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. ... Global System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... Genera More than 150[1] Look up tetra in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... A mobile data terminal (MDT) is a computerized device used in police cars, taxicabs, courier vehicles, service trucks, commercial trucking fleets, military logistics, fishing fleets, warehouse inventory control, and emergency vehicles to communicate with a central dispatch office. ... Italic textA vehicle tracking system is an electronic device installed in a vehicle to enable the owner or a third party to track the vehicles location. ... An Ontario Highway 407 toll transponder In telecommunication, the term transponder (short-for Transmitter-responder and sometimes abbreviated to XPDR, XPNDR or TPDR) has the following meanings: An automatic device that receives, amplifies, and retransmits a signal on a different frequency (see also broadcast translator). ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... Triangulation can be used to find the distance from the shore to the ship. ... CCTV can stand for: China Central Television Closed-circuit television This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The system must be able to deal with different styles of licence plates Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR; see also other names below) is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the licence plates on vehicles. ... ProViDa is a form of video camera used in police cars in Europe. ... U.S. Army soldier uses a radar gun to catch speeding violators at Tallil Air Base, Iraq. ...

Use by country

Law enforcement in Australia is served by police, sheriffs and bailiffs under the control of state, territory and the Federal governments. ... Before 2001, there were several police agencies in Belgium: Rijkswacht (State Police a. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Rigspolitiet is the state national police force of Denmark. ... Chief police officer (Polizeihauptmeister mit Amtszulage) in Hamburg wearing the new blue uniform Patrol car of the Saarland Police with old white-green livery New silver-blue police car in Hamburg Law enforcement in Germany is divided between the different levels of federalism: the federal level (Bund) and the state... The Greek Police (Greek: ) is the police force of Greece. ... Björn Árnason, the first policeman on Ísafjörður (1895). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... India has a multitude of Law Enforcement agencies. ... Aichi Prefecture Toyota Crown police car Japans police are an apolitical body under the general supervision of an independent agency, the National Police Agency, and free of direct central government executive control. ... The New Zealand Police (Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa in Māori) is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout the country. ... An emblem of Policja Policja is the generic name for the police in Poland. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Ford Focus, Ilfracombe, England. ... Police vehicles in the United States are made by several manufacturers and are available in three broad vehicle types: Police Package Vehicles (PPV) are the most common police cars and are equipped to handle the vast majority of tasks; Special Service Vehicles (SSV) and Special Service Package (SSP) are specialized...

Police cars in popular culture

Police chases have been dramatized in television programs and movies. If celebrities or unusual circumstances are involved, they become major news features as viewed from an airborne camera. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


On film and television, police cars are usually portrayed as containing a team of two police officers so that they may converse and interact on screen. In reality, most districts have only one police officer per vehicle, although at night this may increase to two.


Gallery

Americas

Crown Victoria

Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet Tahoe

Dodge Charger

Other

Asia/Oceania

Europe