LEO question: Good lightbar for unmarked vehicle

[sigp220.45]

Hey guys - a recent response has me thinking my cheesy visor light just isn't cutting it. It's kind of visible at night, but in the daylight it not enough to attract any attention. Even with a siren blaring the usual reaction is for someone to see it at the last minute and slam on the brakes to pull over.

Usually I just speed and don't bother with either the lights or siren, but every now and then it would be good to have something that puts out some real light.

Do any of you have an unmarked rig with an effective emergency light set up? I've seen some good looking units that mount on the inside of the windshield at the top - maybe something like this?

LED Stealth 6 Visor Light Bar

I was heading to this:

Man dies in police shootout in Dulce; US 64 still closed | KOB.com

Man dead after shootout with police in Dulce - Farmington Daily Times

 

[jdh]

Lights in the windshield and on the package shelf kind of defeat the purpose of unmarked. Unless you have VFD license plates on it everyone knows what you are. So are you trying to be less conspicuous in traffic or is it a true undercover unit?

Head/tail light flashers are good attention geters that are undetectable when off. Hideaway LEDs (the replacement for strobe packs and bulbs) are good also but if someone knows what to look for they are detectable.

My preference has always been to avoid anything inside the cabin if possible. No matter how hard you try you cannot completely eliminate the distracting reflections on the windshield.

 

[Gunslinger808]

Have at it.
Police Gear | Police Equipment | Tactical Gear | 5.11 Tactical | Bates Boots | Streamlight | Safariland | Galls
When I ran an undercover they had strobes mounted where the emergency flashers usually are.

 

[S. Hammer]

My latest car has L.E.D. bars at the top of the windshield and on the back deck. Very bright when on, but clear/gray when off. Most of the sheeple won't notice one when it's off, they're too busy with their own on board GPS/video screens. Compared to the old halogen dash lights or strobes, I get zero flashback with the L.E.D.s. The front light bar in my car also has wig/wagging clear lights which also double as take down lights. It's a Whelen package.

 

[GF]

All cop cars will be going to this...

Rim Lights - YouTube

... oh yeah, it could happen.

GF

 

[venomballistics]

I'd think the glare of high intensity strobes reflecting back at you off the windshield would get to being a liability at some point

 

[thndrchiken]

Usually I just speed and don't bother with either the lights or siren, but every now and then it would be good to have something that puts out some real light.

Really, and you haven't been slammed or had citizen complaints for your failure to show due regard

 

[oldafsp]

One of the best warning lights are your headlights, set up with an alternating
flasher.

They move traffic like nothing else. Strobes are low power draw, but LEDS are much better. If you have control over the patterns, set them for SLOWER flashes. The longer on time works better for recognition by drivers.

Front mounted strobes in a snowstorm is an expirence NOT to have...LOL

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

You are FBI and you have to buy your OWN light bars Man...talk about cutbacks!!!! Next thing you know the tastee freeze will be making you pay for your own donuts

 

[LoadedRound]

I have no personal experience, but I thought you might find this interesting:

Suburban Police Equipment | Suburban Police Lights | FleetSafety.com

All the best.

 

[SurgicalShark]

You are FBI and you have to buy your OWN light bars Man...talk about cutbacks!!!! Next thing you know the tastee freeze will be making you pay for your own donuts

I think most of us have evolved by now! It's Starbucks, and they don't serve doughnuts, it's Lattes and scones now.

S&W M&P FS 9/357/40/45, 40PRO, 40C, 22LR

 

[GaryS]

One of the best warning lights are your headlights, set up with an alternating
flasher.

They move traffic like nothing else. Strobes are low power draw, but LEDS are much better. If you have control over the patterns, set them for SLOWER flashes. The longer on time works better for recognition by drivers.

Front mounted strobes in a snowstorm is an expirence NOT to have...LOL

Good reply. LEDs are actually lower power draw than strobes, are brighter, and much less complex to control. Most emergency LED lights have the flash circuit built in with a variety of patterns you can set. LEDs are also easier to wire in general.

As to the strobes in snowstorms, you are so right.

 

[Nightowl]

Depending on what car you drive, you might look at the Code 3 Supervisor light. We have one in an Expedition, LED lights on the side and rear. Does well for light, but obstructs vision. You want to stay back from intersections a bit so you can see the traffic lights.

 

[sigp220.45]

Thanks for the replies.

No, I haven't been complained on. I work on an Indian reservation, and the fact I'm sober puts me ahead of 90 percent of the cars on the road.

The "just speed" approach is actually safer than my current setup. With the visor lights nobody notices until I'm right behind them, then they either continue to ignore me or slam on the brakes. I'm looking for something that will alert them a little farther out.

Caje, I'm just doing the research. Uncle Sugar will pick up the tab.

I had to give up donuts - I'm trying the "no wheat" thing. Corn nuts and Mountain Dew now.

 

[Knightrider03m]

From what I found, most people just don't pay any mind to a car unless it has "POLICE" on the side and back of it. My department, before our SUV was marked with our logo on it, had a set of led lights on the side view mirrors, one in the dash towards the bottom of the windshield, and a set of leds on our push bar. Of course we had lights in the back but no one could see it because of the factory tint. Armed with a unformed officer, radar set up in the dash, and had a city plate on the back, people still didn't even blink as they few past us. However, they pulled over quick once the lights got turned on.

With that being said, its also hard to get people to stop when you have a fully marked car with top lights going..... at night.

People just don't pay any mind to anything else other than what they got going on.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Wig Wags (alternateing headlights) and your regular four way flashers, cheap and an easy install too.