Police Car Equipment

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In the early parts of the 20th century police used to be seen walking the beat. Now, however, in order to maintain visibility in suburban communities and urban areas as well as on highways police use police cars for transportation. A police car needs specialized equipment to allow officers to do their job on the road.

Police car equipment has come a long way since the first car was introduced in America on the streets of Akron, Ohio in the late 1800s. The first car could only travel 30 miles because of its weak battery. The vehicle featured electric lights and used gongs to make noise. It also had a stretcher which was used to pick up drunks.

Today's police cars are typically passenger cars offered by vehicle manufacturers such as Ford and GM which come with OEM police packages. Police can also modify these vehicles by adding their own equipment after making a purchase. Depending upon the need of the department the car can be made more durable and faster. Police departments can alter the engine, suspension, and brakes to have the car fit their needs. In addition, the electrical system of the car is usually upgraded because the vehicle must accommodate additional electrical demands for radios and lights.

Most police cars have warning systems that alert other cars to their approach on the road. Police in the United States are supposed to only use these audible and visual warning signals in case of emergency. However, some drivers have accused police of sounding their siren simply to move faster in order to pass cars and avoid the rules of intersections. (Police are exempt from speed limits and other laws when visual or audio warnings are in operation on the car.)

There are two kinds of visual warnings: passive and active. Passive warnings are simply the colors on the car. Bright colors or stripes signal to other drivers than a police car is near. Increasingly, highway state police use my marked cars while they are on duty to catch a greater number of speeding drivers.

Active visual warnings must be turned on by an officer. In the early 1950s police cars had lights that were stationary and flashed red in the front and amber in the rear. Today's police cars use different colored lights which are flashed in order to alert the driver of the officer's presence. Common colors for today's police sirens are blue and red. Police cruisers are also equipped with rotating beacons, halogen lights, or strobe lights. In addition, headlights of some vehicles can be altered so that they flash.

Police also use audio warnings so that other drivers are aware of the police's presence. Audio warnings are usually called sirens. Police are also able to amplify their voice to give orders to citizens with bull horns.

Other important pieces of police car equipment include:

• Two-way radios
• Enclosures to transport suspects
• Equipment consoles
• Radar guns

Smaller items like radios and radar guns can now be ordered à la carte and in bulk over the Internet to save money.

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