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Unmarked vehicle sirens

3rd Gen Neal

3rd Gen Neal

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Was hoping the LEO's in the forum could tell me how unmarked police/FBI cars go about displaying emergency lights when they need to. I'm sure the audio is easy, under the hood or something, but what about the light? I watched a movie yesterday and a few times it showed the undercover agents throw the big round light up on the roof like the old Kojak episodes. Surely this isn't how it's done, or is it?? Just really curious. Thanks, happy Sunday.
 
My FBI Suburban has wig-wags in the headlights, a siren under the hood somewhere, a red/blue LED thing on the passenger side visor that flips down, and another LED thing in the back window. The back window thing is great for tailgaters.

I rarely use them anymore, though. I've learned that whoever is dead will still be dead when I get there. Most people don't notice the light or hear the siren until you're right behind them, then they slam on the brakes. If I need to get somewhere fast I just drive fast, yield at red lights, and turn on all the reds and blues once I get there since everybody else does.

I don't make traffic stops in my unmarked rig. If it becomes necessary to make a felony stop I call for a marked unit. I tell my wife and kids not to stop for unmarked vehicles (though they should yield to them) and call 911 if an unmarked car is trying to stop them.

I haven't seen anyone use a Kojak light in years. I hated them, since they plug into the cigarette lighter and if you put it on the driver's side the cord is right in your face or across the wheel. You can stick them on the dash, but unless you have metal plate there for them to stick to they slide all over the place.
 
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My unmarked Tahoe was set up pretty much like Sig220's Suburban. Wig wags and a full stealth red/blue light package with strobes and led ambers to the rear (again, great for tailgaters). The stealth lights up front were concealed in the grille and even inside the headlights. Stops using an unmarked ride are frowned upon and should only be in an exigent circumstance, let the marked unit make the stop.

As of last Sunday, I'm back in a marked unit. I starting to miss being just another car on the road, you see so much more in a plain ride.
 
Low profile LEDs on the sun visors or mounted behind the front and back windshields seems to be the most common around here. I've also seen lights mounted behind the front grill.

There was only one car in our fleet that I can recall that still had the old-style dome light, and that was the very old unmarked CVPI that was used by one of our bailiffs. It was retired and auctioned off a year or so back.
 
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I date back to some of the dash 'fireballs', noisy rotating incandescents. At one time my dept. required they be placed on the roof for a run, or a stop. That is until they saw what the steel-bracketed magnets did to the paint on the roof. Today's LED's mounted on the passenger-side flip-down visor are many times better, and the unobtrusive ones on the back deck are a huge improvement on visibility and safety.
 
In today's litigious society, a single teardrop light thrown up on the roof or slapped on the dash won't cut it in emergency responses. In the event of an accident you can guarantee a lawsuit. Even with a fully marked vehicle tricked out with the latest and greatest in LED's and state of the art siren systems can expect a heap of trouble if you strike another vehicle or hit a pedestrian in an emergency response. Ambulance drivers and other emergency vehicle operators have gone to prison after accidents when a private citizen was struck and killed. Police vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks are requesting the right of way in an emergency response, although other drivers are expected to yield and grant the right of way, the emergency vehicle operator bares the ultimate responsibility to maintain safe operation and control of his vehicle. The only vehicle that has the true right of way without having to yield for other traffic or request the right of way is your friendly neighborhood US postal worker.

Ultimately, proper markings and vehicle lighting for your agency fall back to the responsibility of state and local laws or statutes.

Also, this is a statement for volunteer firefighters, using your private vehicle to respond to emergencies and especially while using a dash light is asking for it. Have an accident and see if your insurance company doesn't bale on you leaving you holding the bag for any damages, legal fees, and medical fees incurred as a result. A foolish move if you don't do your homework.

Also, it's a good idea to have blanket coverage on your personal car insurance to cover you in the event of an accident while operating emergency vehicles in case your agencies insurance leaves you in the cold. Just a thought.
 
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I drive an unmarked SUV and, per my agency policy, in addition to the audible siren, it has:

2 sets of red/blue LED's under the grill;
1 set of red/blue LED's mounted in the front windshiled over the mirror;
1 set of red/blue LED's mounted in each side windown of the cargo area;
1 stick of 4 red/blue LED's across the top of the rear cargo window;
Wig-Wags;
Corner strobes in the front and rear running lights;

And cars still ignore when I run code. I am very, very, very, very cautious when operating in emergency mode.
Gonzo
 
The ones that pulled me over in DE and MD have them hidden in the grille. I can spot them now. ;)
 
Unmarked vehicles being illegal to make traffic stops is one of the few good things about Ohio traffic laws. Having an entire state "police" force whose primary function is writing traffic tickets is bad enough.
My wife has instructions to never stop for anyone in an unmarked vehicle and to keep moving until she finds a marked vehicle or a police station. Fortunately (or unfortunately..depending on your point of view) one rarely has to drive very far on Ohio's highways to find one of our uniformed professional ticket writers.
 
Unmarked vehicles being illegal to make traffic stops...Ohio traffic laws.
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I don't remember what I did with my O.R.C. handbook, but I don't think that is accurate.
 
Well, back in Colorado (I'm on the road again), I get a kick out of young police officers on "crotch rockets", probably confiscated from some druggie, tooling along at 75 in the 75. A lot of people go by them at 90/100 and are surprised as heck when that little dynamo lights up like a Christmas tree.
When I was young and foolish, I used to race flat track bikes. Even at my best, I don't think I would use something that light to go that fast on the highway.
 
Lights

I remember as a kid my dad's old cars had the blue lights in the grille of his '50 Chevy, and his '56 Plymouth had the plate on the dash for the magnetic mounted rotating blue tear drop with the little vinyl cover to prevent the driver from being blinded by the light. Chicago Police have blue lights. -Ed.
 
Jellybean said:
I don't remember what I did with my O.R.C. handbook, but I don't think that is accurate.
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I certainly don't claim to be an expert on Ohio laws, but that's common knowledge amongst truckers. Ohio can't use unmarked cars for traffic enforcement. They also can't hide in the dark with their lights off. As I said, I'm no expert, but that's been my experience over the last 15 years.
 
truckmeup97 is correct, Ohio can't use unmarked cars for traffic enforcement. But the way it's worded is they can't be assigned to, or intended for, traffic enforcement. If an officer in an unmarked unit sees a traffic violation he can do a traffic stop just like one in a marked unit. He obviously won't be using radar or laser, but he can still stop you for speeding.
 
Thanks for all of the replies guys and gals, I'm not surprised LED's are the king. Many interesting points and I bet there are some extremely humorous tales involving the old school Kojak magnet lights. Thanks again.
 
Jellybean said:
......If an officer in an unmarked unit sees a traffic violation he can do a traffic stop just like one in a marked unit. He obviously won't be using radar or laser, but he can still stop you for speeding.
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Only if you volunteer to stop. There's no penalty for ignoring the unmarked car and all he can do is call for a marked car to make a legitimate stop.
 
ohiobuckeye said:
Only if you volunteer to stop. There's no penalty for ignoring the unmarked car and all he can do is call for a marked car to make a legitimate stop.
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Right but what you want to remember there is that the guy in the unmarked (in states that don't use UMs) probably has to call the guy in the marked for the ticket book.....if he's already there to make the stop....press hard four copies.
 
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