Undercover cop cars are getting harder to detect

"03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST" (03mach1) 12/10/2014 at 10:04 • Filed to: None

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Today, as I was walking back to my car (No final for English!) I noticed a strange Taurus in the parking lot. There were two little bars in the grille and a black cylinder looking thing on the roof. It took me a minute to figure out, but I realized it was undercover cop car. It's not unusual to see cop cars from all over the state here, as our police academy is supposed to be pretty good. It looked identical to this car, just with what I mentioned before.

It's not surprising to see undercover Taurus' here, as my local PD has had a few for some time now. What is surprising is how well disguised it was. It took me way to long to figure out what it was. Then there's this other Taurus that really threw me off. It looked like an average base model, but with an SHO/Police grille. That's another undercover car, like this one but beige.

Then there's another thing I've noticed, there is a wide variation of cop cars being used now. Here's a list of all the cop cars that roam my area, both marked and unmarked:

Ford Crown Victoria

Ford Taurus

Chevy Tahoe

Ford F-150

Ford Expedition

Ford Explorer (Sheriff)

Dodge Charger (Sheriff)

So ya, a lot of cars! It's just something I have noticed lately, have any of you seen this or is it just me?

I also saw my first Chevy Caprice yesterday, not bad.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:08

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On top of your list, the Washington State Patrol has at least 3 Toyota Camry unmarked cars and the local PD near work has a Toyota Highlander unmarked car.

A Google search turns up a few other wonderful cars in WA. (via VWVortex)

A Subaru Legacy in Kitsap county

sand stone tahoe that was mentioned

A black tahoe with like 22" chrome wheels a thin lady trooper driving it

ford focus

A taxi cab on I-5

The enduro style dirtbike

Dump truck

Impalas

Some kinda station wagon

VW Toureg

Honda Element

Toyota Avalon

Escalade

etc.

Funktheduck > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:09

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You beat me to this post. I was thinking the same thing the other day. I see:

Crown Vic

Explorer

Expedition

F-150

F-250

Taurus

Impala

Charger

Edit: Prius

I think that's all of them I see on a near daily basis.

CB > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:09

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I've started moving to the right when I see Taurus lights behind me on the highway. It's a weird feeling.

Rainbow > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:11

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Around here, they use Camrys and Tundras. It pisses me off, even though it's a good idea.

I've been saying for a while that they should convert all of their seized vehicles into undercover cop cars, just so they'd REALLY blend in. But then I hope they never do that.

See, I'm all for the idea that it's only illegal if someone is watching. I've made my share of illegal U-turns and whatnot because I knew it was safe to do so. It's not fair that I can't do that anymore unless there are absolutely no other cars around...

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:12

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My township police force consists of Tahoes, Crown Vics, and new Explorers primarily. They also have a couple F250's. No clue what they use those for.

State troopers seem to use Tahoes, Suburbans, Durangos, and Chargers. I haven't really seen any interesting vehicles used for undercover duty yet (or at least that I've noticed)

thebigbossyboss > CB 12/10/2014 at 10:12

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Necessary condition....but will it be sufficient.

Bandit > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:12

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Off the top of my head the most tricky undercover cars we have in my town are a silver 90s jeep wrangler, a white Ford F-150 with DOT decals to look like a work truck, a beige Honda Element, a burnt orange and a dark red charger R/T, and a couple year old black Mustang GT (the only one in town luckily).

505Turbeaux > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:14

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with the advent of LED strobes it has gotten much easier to hide the fact it is an undercover whip. Then again back in the days in CT my hometown had a 1st gen ford taurus in silver and a black Intrepid that were pretty hard to detect in the 90's, along with a goddamn conversion van with out of state plates. In New Haven I have seen all kinds of crap, 10 years ago I saw a yellow tercel hatchback pulling someone over, and I got bagged by a green Lexus SC once. These days I think it is harder to get away with for traffic patrols because of impersonators. You try and yank me over in an unmarked and I am driving to the closest police station regardless.

Leon711 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:14

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Around these parts it's Focus', Mondeos, S-maxes, 5 er, 3 er, Defenders, Discoveries, A4, A6 and Golf R's.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Rainbow 12/10/2014 at 10:18

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I've seen Camry cop cars but never Tundra. Strange.

Converting seized vehicles in to unmarked cars would really change things, I would be a lot more careful!

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 12/10/2014 at 10:19

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My department has a few F-250's, but they look like they only tow trailers. So maybe that's it.

Rico > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:20

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Unmarked cars I see on a regular basis, and for the record I would've noticed it was a cop car as soon as I looked at it that small plastic cylinder gives it away or the short wider plastic cylinder on the trunk like this:

Unmarked cars I see regularly include:

Taurus

Fusion

Malibu

Crown Vic

Camry

Altima

Infiniti G35x

Ford E350 Van

Impala

This greenish Chrysler Town and Country they love to hop out of. Chargers only near highways.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Bandit 12/10/2014 at 10:21

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The F-150 with DOT decals is cruel, especially considering there are city trucks all over the place. And now I'm paranoid because I see those trucks filling up at the PD gas station. Strange. But those are all hard cop cars to recognize.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Leon711 12/10/2014 at 10:22

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I'm assuming you're not from around the U.S. then. Where are you from?

Rico > 505Turbeaux 12/10/2014 at 10:22

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Be careful with that last bit, I don't want to see you on the news for a chase. And they will seriously fuck you up when they catch up to you.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:22

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The police program at college had an unmarked Taurus, and I always saw it getting Tim Horton's at around lunch time. sometimes the shop fixed decommissioned emergency vehicles and I saw my fair share of Crown Vics and Tauruses.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Rico 12/10/2014 at 10:23

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That's pretty close to what I saw today, looked weird, but helps in identifying them.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 12/10/2014 at 10:25

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I would never guess any of those would be unmarked cars, interesting.

505Turbeaux > Rico 12/10/2014 at 10:26

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haha nah in this state it is perfectly legal to do because there has been numerous attempts to impersonate. It says it right in the drivers manual. "If the car pulling you over is not recognizable as an official marked police vehicle you may proceed to or call the closest police station to verify it is an actual peace officer performing the stop" is how I remember it

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > 505Turbeaux 12/10/2014 at 10:26

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It's interesting, my state has been ramping up the unmarked cars a ton in the last few years. I SWORE it was written into law (or rule I guess) in my state (NJ) that the police had to use marked vehicles due to impersonators. I'd say a vast majority of vehicles I see on speed patrol are all unmarked. I know they say if you're uncertain that the vehicle attempting to pull you over is legit that you can call 911 and ask, but I always figured if you actually did that they would probably write you a ticket for being on your cell and trying to evade the police, even if you were just being cautious.

Bandit > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:26

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They did a report on the local news about the truck when it was introduced, I'm very thankful for that because a few days later I saw the truck pull someone over. They love to park on highway construction sites pulling people over who violate the modified speed limits.

Come to think of it, the local news always does a story when more undercover cars are added, they did one for the mustang as well.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > CB 12/10/2014 at 10:27

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I can understand why. What makes it more difficult is how common it is already. I see plenty of them everyday.

Leon711 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:28

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The UK and the specific force is Sussex Police.

and for promotional purposes

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Bandit 12/10/2014 at 10:30

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My local news doesn't say anything, so I'm on my own. Not to mention a lot of cops have some really clever hiding spots to.

505Turbeaux > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 12/10/2014 at 10:30

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it has become the case up here in maine too. The state police use a specific hue of blue, and it used to be even the unmarked cars were the same color, kind of hard to miss it actually. Now it is all suburbans, explorers and taurus in all kinds of colors. Oh and the still run a gold Grand Marquis with a spoiler on it too

Here is the color. I actually like it, just not in my rearview

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Leon711 12/10/2014 at 10:32

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The Audi and BMW look just like regular cars. It must not be easy to spot those.

Rico > Rainbow 12/10/2014 at 10:32

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They are pretty much already doing that I've seen cops in Infinitis and Lexus cars. But I hope the trend stops they don't need to blend in because their presence in a marked car will deter crime.

Also, they don't even stop people for doing shit that's wrong anyway. I can't tell you the amount of red light running, illegal turning (as in it says DO NOT TURN HERE), no lights on in the rain at night driving, stop sign rolling, parked car side swiping I see and the cops do pretty much nothing. Like literally they will be double parked as all these various things take place and they don't do anything.

I once went up to a cop car because there were 4 people riding 3 dirtbikes and an ATV doing wheelies on the wrong side of a 2 way street and they rode right past the cops who did nothing. I went up to them furious asking why they weren't doing anything and went on a rant about how I have to avoid pieces of shit like this when I'm driving and they simply said that the precinct told them they aren't allowed to stop them. That day proved to me that if you are endangering the lives of others the cops don't give a fuck but if you are minding your own business or doing something that isn't bothering anyone they will harass you or worse fuck you up.

C-5M Load Smasher > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 12/10/2014 at 10:33

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If you're near an interstate, these can be used for big rig enforcement. They have to carry scales and other equipment in the back. I was riding along with my dad and he got randomly stopped by and F-250. No violations though.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:34

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One thing is they usually (even unmarked cars) have all the standard chrome removed, and hubcaps of some form, if not the common small chrome center cap. Doesn't help a lot when you're already nicked, but it's nice to know in traffic.

Bandit > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:34

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The local campus PD use to have a late 90s Trans Am but I think that was more for promotional purposes, I haven't seen it around in years though.

Sam > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:35

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We have these -

Not stock photos, these are actually the cars. They patrol the Westfield area here in Indiana.

Rico > 505Turbeaux 12/10/2014 at 10:35

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Lucky you guys in NY they would probably start shooting at your car thinking you're fuckin Tony Montana.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 12/10/2014 at 10:35

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Ya, I've been paying a lot more attention lately. Especially considering I'm an easy target.

Rainbow > Rico 12/10/2014 at 10:36

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To be fair, most precincts have a no-chase policy for motorcycles. As long as they're not trying to run down pedestrians, they're far less dangerous doing wheelies in the street than they are running from the cops at 80mph.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Bandit 12/10/2014 at 10:36

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Mine just has Chargers and Impalas. I wonder if they can pull you over for speeding off of campus grounds, I mean they are considered real cops. I don't think I want to risk finding out though!

Sam > Bandit 12/10/2014 at 10:37

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I've seen the DOT trucks in Indianapolis. They park in construction zones and no one notices them.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Sam 12/10/2014 at 10:37

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I've heard about this, not a cop car I would want roaming around town.

Sam > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:38

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Definetly isn't a case of "just outrun em".

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > C-5M Load Smasher 12/10/2014 at 10:38

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Well I'll be damned. Learn something new every day. Never even considered that the would use them to carry around mobile scales for weight violations.

sellphones2493 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:40

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In general, I think Maryland took a pretty large order of Caprices. There about the only police cars I see now, both in Baltimore City and in State Trooper form.

GeorgeyBoy > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:40

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There are 8 cop cars in this pic. Seems like the Sheriff's department loves the Fords with the Explorers and Taurus. MSP with the Chargers.

Lekker > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:43

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I got ya beat with one that nearly got me in trouble...

See the bars on the left and right of the third brake light? And the special antenna? Yup.. I've seen many many different cops but this one.. it sure as heck caught me off guard

Bandit > Sam 12/10/2014 at 10:43

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I've never run into the Indy trucks on any of my ventures down there thank god.

Funktheduck > Funktheduck 12/10/2014 at 10:44

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I forgot Tahoe/Suburbans. The f series trucks span models covering the past 15 years too. Trying to spot them on headlights is impossible

Bandit > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:45

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I know mine can, they're on the highway all the time next to campus. I think all the police departments in my area have something like a shared jurisdiction.

Thunderface > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:45

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Ottawa really only has Crown Vics, Tauruses, Explorers and a few Impalas

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > sellphones2493 12/10/2014 at 10:47

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It's good, the're easy to spot, since they are Police-only vehicles like the last years of the Crown Vic. Best af all those rear lights look somethig like the Crown Vic as well!

Rico > Rainbow 12/10/2014 at 10:47

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I understand but imagine if you are driving down the street and a group of people are coming towards you going in the wrong direction doing wheelies.

Brickman > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:48

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Fugly wheel covers :P

Leon711 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 10:54

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This is another unmarked, an M135i. The only way of IDing them is if you are being followed and you can see something below their rear view mirror you know it's either GPS Nav or an ANPR camera.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > GeorgeyBoy 12/10/2014 at 10:54

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I saw your post the other day with this picture. The Chargers have really funny looking lights on top.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Lekker 12/10/2014 at 10:56

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A Sonata would catch me off guard to! Tricky to spot. You can barley see the lights.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Bandit 12/10/2014 at 10:58

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Interesting. I've heard something like that to.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Brickman 12/10/2014 at 10:59

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I kind of like those actually. In a weird way.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Leon711 12/10/2014 at 10:59

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Wow, really hard to see. I would be so paranoid.

philsphan09 > Lekker 12/10/2014 at 11:02

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Is that the whole population of Kansas, in one picture!?!?! :)

Leon711 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 11:05

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it's not so bad, there's probably 20 or so unmarked cars covering an are of about 1500 square miles. And it's easier to see the in car camera if someone is behind them with lights on, which is likely at night because of the population density compared to the amount of roads. I've never been stopped by anything other than a marked car.

Lekker > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 11:06

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I know!! Even more so with the custom plates too, I honestly could have sworn it couldn't be a cop. He was even rocking the sunroof open.

Lekker > philsphan09 12/10/2014 at 11:06

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Lol, in my side of town, yeah actually.

Captain of the Enterprise > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 11:45

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Can you get pulled over by an undercover cop? I thought there was some law against it so you could get out of that ticket

revrseat70 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 11:48

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Just posted in the other thread: My grandparents live in Birmingham, AL. Those cops are all over it. They have a Porsche 911, a couple of old soccer mom vans they probably repo'd, F150's (which in rural America is super scary), Mustangs, Impalas, and Chargers all in colors that aren't typical... They also hide out in the back of dodge caravans marked as park rangers or community clean up crew vehicles or even ride in semi-trucks, all for marking people to get pulled over down the road.

KnotThatBusy > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 12:17

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Punched it in an E55 to make a yellow light? arrow in Fort Lauderdale. Last car I passed to turn......a Chrysler 300 that was an undercover cop car. Whoops.....pulled me over and thought he was going to shoot me on the spot. After many, many apologies he gave me something that amounted to a license plate holder violation.

Remember, Chrysler 300..

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Captain of the Enterprise 12/10/2014 at 13:41

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I'm not to sure, I think it depends on the state. They can here.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 17:16

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These were new additions to the fleet in Birmingham, AL before I moved

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 12/10/2014 at 17:24

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Well I wouldn't feel so scared of that!

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/10/2014 at 17:26

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Never, a solid pair of running shoes and you're escape is all but guaranteed!

Maxima Speed > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 01/06/2015 at 10:33

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The Washington county area in Ohio has an unmarked highway patrol 2013 explorer the only external difference is a short antenna and in Ohio even unmarked cars have government plates :) Usually the police explorers around here have black grilles and black police rims, but this one is all stock externally. At night it blends in very well. Almost got me and my buddy once (not that we were doing anything :P) looks like this