Police car

Police cars usually contain communication devices, weaponry, and a variety of equipment for dealing with emergency situations.

Starting in the 1940s, major American automakers, namely the Big Three, began to manufacture specialized police cars.

Driving a patrol car allows officers to reach their destinations more quickly and to cover more ground compared to other methods.

They are generally used for varying purposes, ranging from standard patrol and traffic enforcement to sting operations and detective work.

They have the advantage of not being immediately recognizable, and are considered a valuable tool in catching criminals in the commission of a crime or by surprise.

[15][16][17] Some police officers advise motorists that they do not have to pull over in a secluded location and instead can wait until they reach somewhere safer.

The models used for these vehicles range from the same as patrol cars to dedicated SUVs, pickup trucks, or vans.

Use of decoy cars is intended to ensure crime deterrence without having to commit manpower, allowing the officer that would otherwise be there to be freed up for other assignments.

In the United Kingdom, decoy liveried police cars and vans may be parked on filling station forecourts to deter motorists dispensing fuel then making off without payment, also known as "bilking".

Usually SUVs, vans, or trucks, surveillance cars can be marked, unmarked, undercover, or disguised, and may be crewed or remotely monitored.

They are used to gather evidence of criminal offenses or provide better vantage points at events or high-traffic areas.

The surveillance method used varies, and may include CCTV, hidden cameras, wiretapping devices, or even aerial platforms.

A wide array of vehicles, from armored SUVs and vans to dedicated trucks and armored personnel carriers, are used by law enforcement to suppress or intimidate riots, protests, and public order crimes; hold and reinforce a police barricade to keep the scene contained; or simply transport officers and equipment at the scene in a manner safer than what could be achieved with a standard police car.

Common modifications include tear gas launchers, shields, and caged windows.

This is usually accomplished through installing heavy duty suspension, brakes, calibrated speedometer, tires, alternator, transmission, and cooling systems.

The car's electrical system may also be upgraded to accommodate for the additional electronic police equipment.

Police vehicles are often fitted with audible and visual warning systems to alert other motorists of their approach or position on the road.

In many countries, use of the audible and visual warnings affords the officer a degree of exemption from road traffic laws (such as the right to exceed speed limits, or to treat red stop lights as a yield sign) and may also suggest a duty on other motorists to yield for the police car and allow it to pass.

These lights are used while responding to attract the attention of other road users and coerce them into yielding for the police car to pass.

The colors used by police car lights depend on the jurisdiction, though they are commonly blue and red.

Several types of flashing lights are used, such as rotating beacons, halogen lamps, or LED strobes.

Other noises are used in certain countries and jurisdictions, such as "phaser" (a series of brief sped-up beeps) and "hi-lo" (a two-tone up-down sound).

Mobile data terminals are also common as alternative ways to communicate with the dispatcher or receive important information, and are typically a tablet or a dashboard-mounted laptop installed in the car.

Some police cars do not have partitions; in these instances, another officer may have to sit in the rear to secure the detainee, or a dedicated transport vehicle may be called.

Detector devices such as radar speed guns, automatic number-plate recognition, and LoJack are used in some police cars, typically in traffic enforcement, to detect speeding violations, read multiple plates for flags (such as warrants or lack of insurance) without having to manually check, and track stolen cars, respectively.

Pushbars, also known as bullbars, rambars, or nudge bars, are fitted to the chassis of a police car to augment the front bumper.

Pushbar designs vary; some are small and only protect the grille, while others have extensions that shield as far as the headlights.

They are used to provide light in darkened areas or where necessary, such as down alleyways or into a suspect's car during a nighttime traffic stop.

This allows adequate power to be supplied to the vehicle's equipment at the scene of an incident without battery drain.

A 2016 news report said that Ford sells 5 to 10 percent of their American police vehicles with ballistic protection in the doors.