[sos4364]

This entire idea is the dumbest **** ever to arrive at a department. We have our own versions, but the single dumbest command staff idea is the fact we have marked vehicles sitting stationary at one give place around the clock with their emergency lights on “deterring “ crime

 

[OXMYX]

Legal, not legal?

 

[Bradley T]

Yeah, when I was a juvenile delinquent street squirrel punk, they started getting those thin little light bars to allow greater stealth. So much for that!

 

[igor455]

Hello All,

I am working and living in Downtown Baltimore for a few months. Since I have been here, I have noticed that all the police cars I see driving by (and there are a lot of them) always have their light bar lit up. Not the flashing lights, but just red and blue lights at the ends of the light bar.

What's up with that? I laughingly told my girlfriend that it was so the crooks would see them coming and run off so the cops wouldn't have to arrest them (liberal city and all), but what is the real reason? Increased perception of presence? Give the citizens a warm fuzzy feeling?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks! And thanks for all you do!

 

[igor455]

They started doingvthat several years ago during the holiday season for increased awareness. The concept has spread to Anne arundel where I live. .during my time on the job we did it only during the holiday season and some of our light bars didn't have that feature. Since crime is kinda out of control they are doing it for increased visability
When I policed in the city 73,74 we had 3600 police .now they only have 2900 and crime is up you do the math.

 

[Bren]

Apparently, it's something that a lot of city departments do these days. Just not my city, so I hadn't seen it before.

You do have to wonder if the idea came up while discussing ways to cut jail overcrowding; especially considering it's Baltimore.

Seems to me, the primary purpose of random patrol is to deter crime and making it easier to see the police cars decreases the deterrent, while maybe increasing the "citizen feel-good" factor for the politicians.

 

[uzimon]

What I don't expect is for someone to be a d!ck on here when someone asks a question. .

It's called trolling
Deal

 

[wreckless]

It is a way to make citizens see more police on patrol and give the illusion of better security. It is smoke and mirrors policing.

 

[Mayhem like Me]

Apparently, it's something that a lot of city departments do these days. Just not my city, so I hadn't seen it before.

What I don't expect is for someone to be a d!ck on here when someone asks a question. I'm pretty sure someone here knew the answer to the question, even if you didn't.

Real cops know it’s a bad idea so you can believe whatever crap you want coming out of Baltimore but in real life they’re going to be able to see officers patrol patterns and see them coming from a long distance away it’s a great PR tool ,thanks for playing!


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[IAhunter]

Just another example of leftist stupidity.

 

[LPD ret.]

Been in LE for 39 years. I first saw the practice of cruise lights during a visit to DC in May of this year. I thought maybe the officer forgot to turn their lights off, but then saw other cruisers doing the same, I guess for visibility - and lessens the possibility that they'd have to jump out and make an arrest. Less paperwork.

Our department cars have that cruise light button. But, it may only get used if an officer has to park somewhere and needs some extra visibility, but without the full light show. Or, can help your back up officer spot you.

I remember an episode of Adam-12 when Malloy and Reed did this: Patrol an area while wearing their riot helmets. Then, patrol the same area with their uniform hats. And next, patrol with no hat or helmets - instant fake force multiplier!

 

[ScarFace88]

Legal, not legal?
View attachment 486910

Legal or not, it's sofa king we todd did.

 

[R9S19]

Yeah, cruise lights. Our State Police use them at night, as do most of our city Police. It's a double edged sword, in my opinion.

 

[larry_minn]

I worked a security gig where we were required to drape a @18" keychain over the Streamlight SL20x. Do every step it clanked. You could hear it a block away.
T was to promote feeling of safety to students. ( and so they could find us after they were attacked I suppose)..
My chain kept getting caught in my pocket. I tended to write more reports, call the Police to take a person to jail... Then anyone. Seems I also kept getting warned for my keychain getting caught in my pocket. That or my flashlight was in hand. OPPS.
Walking campus, headed to request for escort fine. Trying to find troublemakers....

 

[FriggetyFrak]

DC police have been doing this for well over a decade. The word was that Charles Ramsey implemented it for presence and visibility after he visited Israel and saw it being done there. Baltimore picked up on it some time after that. I always thought it was a bad idea for reasons already mentioned.

 

[knoxvegasdaddy]

Hello All,

I am working and living in Downtown Baltimore for a few months. Since I have been here, I have noticed that all the police cars I see driving by (and there are a lot of them) always have their light bar lit up. Not the flashing lights, but just red and blue lights at the ends of the light bar.

Thanks! And thanks for all you do!

You guys are a big help.

Actually, Google answered the question. 'Cruise lights.' For increased visibility. But thanks for playing.

Apparently, it's something that a lot of city departments do these days. Just not my city, so I hadn't seen it before.

What I don't expect is for someone to be a d!ck on here when someone asks a question. I'm pretty sure someone here knew the answer to the question, even if you didn't.

So, in summary,

at 7:34 pm, on a Saturday night, you asked a question.

At 8:00 pm, you answered your own question.

One guy (afaik, not a cop) gives a typically sarcastic, humorous answer.

Then, one (retired) cop (from Arizona) suggested you contact the Baltimore PD (in Maryland) and simply ask them yourself.

At 9:26 pm, you suggest that someone is being “a d!ck” to you.

Does that accurately describe the timeline of your question?

Are you ALWAYS needy, over-sensitive, and impatient? Or just on Saturday nights?

 

[Pete Perfection]

It's called political correctness. Liberals don't think it's fair to sneak up on the criminals anymore so they write in procedures to make their lives easier not to get caught.

 

[Tvov]

My local police department has been doing that for probably more than a decade. Seems like they started doing it when the LED lights became common.

Also, the Connecticut State Police used to have "State Police" in the middle of the light bar that would light up when they were patrolling. You can still see the old light bars with this, but seems like the newest light bars are all "slimline" and "aerodynamic" and narrow, not enough room for the lettering.

Speaking of which... why do they put the new slim light bars hugging the roof? Kind of defeats the purpose of roof lights. I think they should be up higher where they can be seen, especially in the winter so snow on the roof doesn't block the lights.

 

[Firecop203]

Two ways of looking at this.

Think like a thief. The cops are driving around the area with their lights on. You know where they are. Have a lookout keep an eye on them you till you commit your crime.

On the opposite side, think like a cop. Have a marked car with lights cruising and attracting attention. Have an unmarked car with no lights watching to see who is watching the marked car.

I was asked years ago if I thought a police presence was a deterrent to crime. I said yes.....till we drive around the corner and out of sight.

 

[Mayhem like Me]

problem with your line of thinking is none of these places have enough manpower to have guys with cruise lights on and then the guys with unmarked cars watching them

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