Why do police departments issue unmarked cars to police officers? Do they think that they are fooling us?

Question

It seems to me that an unmarked police car stands out much more than a police car with the lights, siren, and all of the departmental insignias all over the vehicle. Does anyone really believe that these cars blend in?

Answer 1

we have "unmarked cars" the police assistant uses, the detectives use, when an officer has to go to a training course. They are equipped with lights inside of the vehicle, etc. but normally those type of cars with insignias are not meant to be undercover cars, just not as "official" The detectives, etc may need to get somewhere in a hurry, thus activating the lights, or they may see you doing something blatantly wrong and pull you over. HOWEVER, these cars are not normally used for patrolling or giving tickets. An unmarked, undercover vehicle, does not have insignias or anything else, they look entirely like a regular vehicle. Those are the ones used in stakeouts, etc.

Answer 2

Police Unmarked Vehicles

Answer 3

I used to be on a city council, and I fought against umarked cars the entire time that I was on it. If people see a police car, they WILL slow down if they are speeding, or speed up if they are guilty of something else. Police cars should be highly visible. The only reason I could see for using a police car in traffic control was to get revenue from tickets. They thought that by being sneaky with an unmarked car they would catch more speeders. I argued "Do you want people to slow down or do you want the money from the tickets?" We would park an empty police car at a different spot each day. Just the sight of the car made people obey the traffic laws, and we didn't get a reputation for being a speed trap town.

Answer 4

What? How does an unmarked car stand out? Here in Washington, unmarked police cars are completely...unmarked! Then have no visual lights or other modifications. They just drive along the highway until someone is speeding or driving recklessly. Then lights start flashing from the tinted windows and a seemingly average Chevy lights up like a Christmas tree.

You aren't confusing unmarked cars with fire trucks are you?

Answer 5

Unmarked cars are provide to officers that need a vehicle but are not required to respond to calls typically. Such as Detectives, Administrators, and Training/Court transport vehicles.

True undercover vehicles are nearly impossible to detect. They use Non-government plates, Come in every make and model, Contain nothing visible to alert people to their purpose. You likely have seen one and don't even know it.

Unmarked Crown Vic's are not attempting to be stealthy, They most the time are unmarked because the officer using them is not expected to respond to calls or perform duties that require marked vehicles

Answer 6

Our department has several all-black "stealth cars" that have no overhead lights, but instead use lights in the grill, on the rear deck, the rear-view mirrors, flashing tail lights, etc. They also have "ghost markings" on the sides that say "POLICE" in big letters which you can't see unless your headlights shine directly on them. Very effective in both daytime & nighttime not only for traffic enforcement but also approaching situations without being spotted while they are still several blocks away. The department also uses Dodge Durangos for the sergeants that are configured the same way. Just when people got used to looking for plain black Crown Vics, now that black SUV could be an officer, too!

Answer 7

Not all of them are that obvious. They can hide the lights and put them up in the windshield when pulling over! Or they can have no lights at all and call for back-up. I can't believe you're that naive! It's just like plain clothes cops who go undercover. They fool even the most cautious of drug dealers! So, the moral is the next time you're driving around smoking blunts and a guy pulls up next to you in a 90's Dodge Pick-up, HE COULD BE A COP! And they change cars all the time so you never know.....

Answer 8

I can understand your point if they use the same kind of cars for unmarked units as they do for marked units but in Colorado, you'll see cops in anything from the usual crown vics to dodge trucks. The state patrol has even started using those really cool dodge magnums here.

Answer 9

Of course they blend in, if you are being followed by a car
that has no lights insignia, etc.... you do not always know
that they are Police now do you.............................................

Unmarked cars, stand out sometimes because of the radios,
cellphones are much better and do not stand out as much....

Answer 10

MARKED
- Armed uniformed officers.
- Regular police vehicles with Police decals.
- Red/blue strobe lights visible on top of the vehicle.
- Used for everyday police duties, RBT, roadblocks, etc.

UNMARKED
- Armed uniformed officers/plain clothes/detectives/etc.
- Regular police vehicles with no Police decals, comes in various colors, red, blue, white and grey being the most common.
- Small glass mounted antenna on exterior of windshield front and back.
- Strobe lights on interior of the windshield front and back.
- Mainly used for drug busts and other high risk operations.

UNDERCOVER
- Armed or unarmed plain clothes officers.
- Undercover agents drive any vehicle with NO strobe lights, police radio or police decal.
- Mainly used to stakeout and secure information or meet with drug dealers in an attempt to gain their trust to infiltrate their hideout.