New Low-Profile Light Bar for Police Cars

[WildBill]

A few weeks ago, I actually saw one of these SUVs that had pulled over a vehicle.
I couldn't tell it was a police car until I pulled along side at the correct angle and saw the Kemah Police decal.
For such a small city (population 3,334), they sure seem to have a lot of police equipment.

The no profile lights are fitted at the factory and already available for order by agencies purchasing the Explorer Police Interceptor.
They aren't the only major change made to the Explorer for police duty, though. Like on its Crown Vic predecessor, every system—cooling,
electrical, brakes, suspension—has been beefed up for longevity and performance.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1103 ... ?fbfanpage

[ScottDLS]

Oooh oohh, I am going to get a yellow light version so I can be tacticool too. They will go with my 5-11 vest and pants and drop leg holster.

[ELB]

Aftermarket add-on inside/"stealthy" LEDs like the ones pictured at the link have been available for a quite awhile now, but you had the problem of running the wiring and control box and the switches. As the manufacturer, Ford can integrate the wiring and controls right from the beginning, which is nice.

LEDs draw a lot less power than the old style rotating lights, which is a big plus too. The old style light bars presented other problems too, like mounting them and drilling holes in the roof and such. I got a tour at the Wind Tunnel at Texas A&M one time, and one of the projects they worked on was for a company that manufactured light bars. They came out with a spiffy new, very flat LED one that still mounted on top of a Crown Vic. But they soon found out that when cops passed a semi trailer rig going the other way, the wind blast sometimes ripped the light bar off the roof. So they ran some tests in the wind tunnel testing new mounting systems.

Inside/low profile lights help avoid all that.

[Keith B]

Oooh oohh, I am going to get a yellow light version so I can be tacticool too. They will go with my 5-11 vest and pants and drop leg holster.

Here ya go http://www.speedtechlights.com/deck-das ... aQodNrsHmw#

[Smokey613]

Aftermarket add-on inside/"stealthy" LEDs like the ones pictured at the link have been available for a quite awhile now, but you had the problem of running the wiring and control box and the switches. As the manufacturer, Ford can integrate the wiring and controls right from the beginning, which is nice.

LEDs draw a lot less power than the old style rotating lights, which is a big plus too. The old style light bars presented other problems too, like mounting them and drilling holes in the roof and such. I got a tour at the Wind Tunnel at Texas A&M one time, and one of the projects they worked on was for a company that manufactured light bars. They came out with a spiffy new, very flat LED one that still mounted on top of a Crown Vic. But they soon found out that when cops passed a semi trailer rig going the other way, the wind blast sometimes ripped the light bar off the roof. So they ran some tests in the wind tunnel testing new mounting systems.

Inside/low profile lights help avoid all that.

I "blew off" the light bar on a brand new 1996 CV one night responding to a shots fired call. At an "undisclosed speed" :) the bolts on the right side mounting bracket sheered off, the light bar swung around and beat the heck out of the left rear door before I could get stopped. I had a tool kit with me so I unbolted the left bracket, cut the wires and stuck the lightbar in the trunk and continued to the call. After that we replaced the bolts on the remaing 10 new units with stronger rated ones. We had no further issues.

[puma guy]

I am a big supporter of our police, but I'm not a fan of stealth police vehicles and think they should be outlawed. I won't say any more than that.

[WildBill]

I am a big supporter of our police, but I'm not a fan of stealth police vehicles and think they should be outlawed. I won't say any more than that.

"To Protect and Serve". See the previous post.

[The Annoyed Man]

My son used to drive a late model P71 Crown Vic ex-cop car. I really liked that car.

[Smokey613]

Well, this one is definitely NOT stealth. :)

http://youtu.be/cqhoRGS4PvY

[K.Mooneyham]

I, too, have a problem when the traffic laws are used to primarily generate revenue for a municipality or other political entity, instead of actually enhancing safety.

[Abraham]

Apparently, European LE is more concerned about being recognized as LE for overall safety reasons with their citizenry in mind rather than looking like studly, cool guys driving studly, cool guy cars...

[Beiruty]

I am a big supporter of our police, but I'm not a fan of stealth police vehicles and think they should be outlawed. I won't say any more than that.

For undercover cars, yes that light would work fine. For traffic control. nope. Those unmarked cars part of a speed trap were hit in the North East.

[GeekwithaGun]

I have no problem with the police enforcing traffic laws - especially in our area where I35 is under construction, workers are present nearly every day and night, the average speed limit is 60 mph and people are driving an average of 77 mph. I did a ride a long a few weeks ago from 6pm to 3am and we did not stop anyone going under 79 mph.

If you choose to speed and you get caught, then you have chosen to take the consequences of your actions. Granted there are some agency's that have traps that are revenue profit centers, I would think there are ways to report abuse to the state.

[mojo84]

I have no problem with the police enforcing traffic laws - especially in our area where I35 is under construction, workers are present nearly every day and night, the average speed limit is 60 mph and people are driving an average of 77 mph. I did a ride a long a few weeks ago from 6pm to 3am and we did not stop anyone going under 79 mph.

If you choose to speed and you get caught, then you have chosen to take the consequences of your actions. Granted there are some agency's that have traps that are revenue profit centers, I would think there are ways to report abuse to the state.

Were you in an unmarked or stealth patrol car? If not, I don't think anyone has a problem with police officers enforcing the laws. Many see these stealth vehicles as a tool to catch someone breaking the law rather than preventing laws from being broken.

Visibility of law enforcement is an excellent deterent.

[Abraham]

One other consideraiton is a predator with enough cash to make his vehicle look like a stealth cop car.

Not a good thing...