Starting today, there are two more reasons to obey the speed limit. Montgomery County police have deployed two new "slick top" cruisers as of this morning, July 27, 2023. Both new Dodge Charger models are designed with stealthy features to avoid premature detection by leadfoot or texting drivers. They each have lights inside the top of the windshield and rear window, rather than on the roof. The "ghost graphics" model has nearly-invisible MCPD markings on its exterior, which are very subtle in the daytime, but are highly-reflective at night.
MCPD says both cruisers are being deployed for Vision Zero traffic enforcement. Officers driving them will be on the lookout for drivers who are speeding, texting while driving, not wearing seatbelts, driving impaired or driving aggressively. Both will be driven by Central Traffic Unit officers, who will be in full uniform.
Maybe they should be fighting real crime instead of harassing drivers
ReplyDeleteThese cars still stand out. No civilian has a white Charger with these dark wheels.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile if your smoking a joint or have illegally tinted windows they can't pull you over.
ReplyDelete@ 8:33 AM
ReplyDeleteThat would be a horrific heresy!
The new paradigm shift is to have formal post crime news conferences.
Conventional "marked" cars already have stealthy light bars that are very low profile by design but most patrol cops use very distinguishing blue lights, defeating the light bar stealth. Sure the light bars are visible but wouldn't the ubiquity of these on conventional cars negate the "need" for cars *sans* lightbars. Most drivers can't distinguish; this seems an insulting waste if money on dedicated cars for dubious worth. Let's use what we got, as designed. It's self defeating that our present po po let's criminals know where they are miles away with blue lights. This policy was adopted for all the wrong reasons. Now it's just more expensive too.
ReplyDeleteIf they want a "stealth" cop car, they should use an unmarked cross over or Tahoe. Everyone already taps the breaks when they see a white Dodge Charger.
ReplyDeleteSpeeding is the focus not the raft of vehicle larceny and theft isn't? Cops are literally counting down the hours until they can retire. Sell those vehicles and do something to attract young people to join the force.
ReplyDelete@10:59, I'm sure you're right, because you speak with the certitude and conviction of someone who is a Great Wisdom Knower, but in the interest of wheeling your jeremiad 'round towards something a bit more fact-based, I'll point out MCPD currently uses the 13 year-old Federal Signal "Valor" LED lightbar on its marked units, swapping these 360-degree warning devices from old vehicles to new as cars age out of the fleet.
ReplyDeleteNew Valors can be found on the retail market for anywhere between $2,000 to nearly $5,000, depending on where one looks. Obviously, a municipal contract will offer discounts on that price. For the sake of this post, I offer the retail vendor Strobes 'n' More for the purposes of an even comparison, since that outfit still offer the 13 year-old product as well as a FedSig interior lightbar, the [newer tech, 2015-introduced] forward-facing Spectralux. The Valor lists for $2,700, the interior Spectralux for $1,200. Since a slicktop unit will require rear-facing warning as well, why not opt for FedSig's matching Spectralux ILS rear-facing, read deck-mounted lightbar, which Strobes 'n' More offers for another $1,200.
Of course, there is no way of knowing if MCPD specc'ed their *two* low-profile units with FedSig lighting, but it is amusing to note these new low-profile unites, outfitted with front- and rear-facing, interior-mounted Spectraluxes, can be had --at retail-- for $300 less per car than the $2,700 cost of one traditional, exterior-mounted Valor you endorse as more cost-efficient.
I wonder if you cold possibly be wrong about anything else?
So the cars are free?
Delete2 new cars with "hi-tech" lightbars dedicated to 'vision zero"(ridiculous) traffic use is an insult in today's crime environment.
DeleteYeah don't worry about the organized crime rings stealing cars and shipping them overseas. Euromotorcars got lucky and got 2 of the three cars stolen directly out of the showroom.
ReplyDeleteElrich & Moore won't allocate resources to stop actual crime unless you use the wrong pronouns which will end up being a felony hate crime. We're already living in the Twilight Zone.
@2:09PM That's waaaay waaaay TMI for this lil' ol' local necessary blog... Lots of research or previously held knowledge for an individual who doesn't identify with an important prefix moniker, but posts as the moustache mask wearing entity from the dark web. #StolenValor
ReplyDeleteIt used to be that education was the ideal social equalizer, but now it's our elected leaders.. .
ReplyDeleteThis is essentially a PSA to the car thieves. Ha!
ReplyDeleteLol, MoCo police leaders are pining for the old days when speed traps and "distracted driving" were their major issues. Fast forward to today's increasing violent crimes and common thefts.
ReplyDelete@3:42 PM - Since you're such a smart butt, tell us of a single jurisdiction that has been able to bust one of these export gangs, in the past five years. YOU CAN'T! They are a ubiquitous as the smarm on your face.
ReplyDeleteThat's good! Turn a blind eye on our race to the lowest common denominator
DeleteI'm sorry I hurt 7:58's feelings. Unfortunately most of cities where the thefts occur including the major ports of entry/exit are controlled by local democrats who are too busy releasing repeat offenders, (auto theft included - go figure), with no bail and a "promise" to show up for trial. What could go wrong?
ReplyDeleteHere's a clue: Start funding CBP & ICE, put criminals in jail AND hold them financially responsible for any damage they cause as a resultof their crime which means a debt that follows them until its paid off. It's called consequences for your actions.
Not exactly on topic, but could this blog revisit sometime the use of PHB's (Pedestrian Highway Beacons, like the one near the intersection of Cordell Avenue and Old Georgetown Road, previously discussed here)?
ReplyDeleteDo people feel comfortable using them?
Are drivers stopping when the signals go off?
Robert, what ever happens to the next phase of all the crime stories you report? Is nobody ever captured? CVS gang shoplifters, the Dog Haus carjacker, the guys who broke into the edgemoor condo garage and smashed up 20 cars, the numerous downtown Bethesda assaults. Is this info not published in any police or court logs? Was nobody arraigned?
ReplyDeleteWe'll see that seat belt use jumped to 94 percent and hands free phone use is creeping up, no doubt due to our new additions to the police fleet. Buried somewhere will be the fact that there are fewer cadets with eroding admittance standards and degraded qualifications. Crime is down! Just ask anyone!
ReplyDelete7:58 - Here's pie in your face - They just busted people shipping MD, DC, and VA stolen cars out of the Port of Baltimore.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmU0y8cXvLA
What was that you were saying? Oh yeah - "...tell us of a single jurisdiction that has been able to bust one of these export gangs, in the past five years. YOU CAN'T! They are a ubiquitous as the smarm on your face." How's that smarm feel?
Speeders and mobile device users aren't the actual threat to the community.
ReplyDeleteArmed robbers and thieves are.
Elrich and company are such a disgrace.
Just the blue lights scream "Please Mr. Thief, don't do anything in my sector, on my shift!" I get a kick of the po po parking in an obvious place with their blue lights on. Even the innocent see 'em and mind the law, the criminals just wait or go elsewhere. I can see DC (and PG) lackluster police adopting this policy but it's an insult to us in MC.
ReplyDelete