Why do police cars look like police cars?

Question

Sure, the deterent affect of seeing a black car with a big white stripe down the center with flashing red and blue lights on top is a nice one, but wouldn't police cars be more affective if they just looked like regular civilian cars? Imagine someone who's impatient while getting from Point A to Point B. He sees no cop cars around, and decides to push the medal a little harder to make better time. He's suddenly trailed by a normal-looking car, which then has the police lights popping out from the roof of the car from the inside. Caught in the act!

It's like prostitute stings. Woman officers don't masquerade as themselves and start laying the bait for soliciting sex, do they? No, they just look like regular hookers. Shouldn't it be the same for squad cars?

Answer 1

Police do have unmarked units for things like that but for traffic enforcement its better to be easily identified. Its just practical, imagine you are a female late at night and your are getting pulled over, are you more likely to stop for a clearly marked police car or just some random car with a blue light in the dash?

Answer 2

In my town we don't have any black car with white stripe as cop cars. All cop cars look like regular civilian cars. If you want to know how to tell the differance between the cop cars & civilian cars look at the plates & the mirrors. Just little signs like on the plate there is maybe a small star.

Answer 3

In some states, there already are unmarked cop cars. State Patrol, county, and local police depts. have these. They look so "regular car" that people do get caught by surprise. Sometimes, in fact, usually, seeing the regular cop cars helps to prevent some of the stuff from happening, like speeding, etc. Some states even have "eyes" in the sky. People need to drive more safely.

Answer 4

I agree , but if they do that then you have people pulling over hotties saying they are cops to get a piece. Then you got the feeling people get just seeing cops around. Plus cops are out in the open because they dont want to just bust people . Here for public safety not for trying to sneek up on people. Besides police officers get enough "medal pushers" they dont need help of some special lights. instead of worrying how to catch law breakers then worry about education to avoid the problem

Answer 5

There are plenty of unmarked squad cars out there. However, they are generally under contract to have only certain types of cars... most commonly Crown Vics and Caprices, though some departments have been buying up Camaros.

No matter what, you'll never see a cop car made by a foreign company.

Answer 6

they need to have the distinct cars and uniforms as wellfor the patrol officers to show their authority so people will follow direction (high speed chases, accidents, seen of a crime ect.) But do I see your point about trafficing officers, you think they might make them a little more subtle in order to catch speeders and such.

Answer 7

That is called entrapment! The hooker thing is probably entrapment to but who is going step up and stay hey,your messing up my corner! There is lots of cops in plain cars!

Answer 8

they have unmarked squad cars which look like normal vehicles, which take care of the issues raised in your first point. squad cars then indeed act as a deterrent, with the general diea being its better to stop people from commiting a crime in the first place than waiting for them to commit one and then arresting them or whatnot.

hookers..a cunning disguise!

Answer 9

They do have undercover police cars - the lights are on the inside, so you can't see them unless they're flashing.

Answer 10

Any black or white crown vic looks like a unit.