Thread: 2013 Tahoe K-9- Monroe County, GA Sheriff

That is a huge push bumper....tons of lights! The rear window warning bar needs to go...


Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the automatic door popper be on the passenger side so the k-9 does not exit into traffic? Most traffic stops are performed on the right shoulder...

So the light bar is all red and the other lights are all blue just doesn't look as good a a full red/blue set up.

Most of Monroe units are well lit like that. I fell sorry for that K9 when that door pops on I-75.

Originally Posted by mdlighting

So the light bar is all red and the other lights are all blue just doesn't look as good a a full red/blue set up.

I am confused as to why a Georgia Sheriff's vehicle has red lights... Around here, if red and blue are used, that means that the agency is a combined fire and police agency.

Originally Posted by dcfrmp255

I am confused as to why a Georgia Sheriff's vehicle has red lights... Around here, if red and blue are used, that means that the agency is a combined fire and police agency.

There are a few that run red/blue that are just PD, though some of those used to be dual purpose agencies.

Maybe MCSO is going with the FHP study that red is brighter in the day? Also, it's a split cage so he can still transport. You want the K9 on your side so you can open the door as soon as you jump out and not have to always use the door pop, and the bad guy on the other so you watch him in the back seat easier.

Originally Posted by cbpdogboy

That is a huge push bumper....tons of lights! The rear window warning bar needs to go...

Take down the rear window light and put some side warning in the cargo area windows maybe?

Originally Posted by dcfrmp255

I am confused as to why a Georgia Sheriff's vehicle has red lights... Around here, if red and blue are used, that means that the agency is a combined fire and police agency.

Thats because Ga is all effed up about colors. Cherokee SO uses red and blue. Alot of Police agencies are making the switch as well.

Originally Posted by cbpdogboy

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the automatic door popper be on the passenger side so the k-9 does not exit into traffic? Most traffic stops are performed on the right shoulder...

I think they did that because the prisoner transport is on the passenger side. It suck having to pop the door on the traffic side but it's better then having the suspect seated directly behind you.

Just a short question: why don't you put your K9 in the trunk?
A hot pop for that wouldn't be hard to do.

That's the way it is handled over here in germany.
So that way you have the full back seats, and if you carry only one dog you still have enough space for your gear.

I forgot about the prisoner transport area. I think a k-9 unit should be just that. The k-9 should have enough space to move around, not wedging him in a 3x3 space...My vehicle has a full k-9 cage....call another unit for transport, if needed.

Originally Posted by cbpdogboy

I forgot about the prisoner transport area. I think a k-9 unit should be just that. The k-9 should have enough space to move around, not wedging him in a 3x3 space...My vehicle has a full k-9 cage....call another unit for transport, if needed.

Jep, that was what I meant.

Monroe county must have just started adopting the full red bar. I'm use to seeing the blue bar when they are on 75.

Originally Posted by mdlighting

So the light bar is all red and the other lights are all blue just doesn't look as good a a full red/blue set up.

I'm wondering if the separation will help prevent the purple blob? Red on top and blue middle/lower...I kinda like it. The front is great, side is lacking and rear is overkill.

Originally Posted by zacmtz7

Monroe county must have just started adopting the full red bar. I'm use to seeing the blue bar when they are on 75.

I drove up to Alpharetta last night and saw a Monroe Co dep with a singe red head in the driver side rear corner of his bar, then what I think was Henry County PD (though could have been a town since they were SB and I was NB) with just their rear lights on, half red half blue. Looked good to me, but my hometown and old dept both ran red/blue.

ive not seen many departments do the splint K9 cage, least not in missouri. an as for the door pop when my dad did K9 he jus opened the center cage door an left his driver side window down, that was his door pop lol. GSD was trained to exit on command

Originally Posted by Firefly Berlin

Just a short question: why don't you put your K9 in the trunk?
A hot pop for that wouldn't be hard to do.

That's the way it is handled over here in germany.
So that way you have the full back seats, and if you carry only one dog you still have enough space for your gear.

Very valid point.

the K-9 Popper side debate has long been argued. USUALLY K-9 is not the first vehicle on a traffic stop. Most times on traffic stops where K-9 is called the dog is already out of the car. Secondly... regardless of where the K-9 popper is... most handlers are not hitting the popper on the side of the interstate unless they are close to the car or fighting for their life because there is always the chance the dog goes into traffic.

I prefer mine on the driver side, you cannot always rely on voice commands for a dog when hitting a popper. How many times at the end of a pursuit have you seen MANY officers leave their sirens going? Try calling a dog with a siren going. We have some dogs that are trained to stay in the car until called. They fail to hear the commands over the sirens and never come. I'd prefer my dog be able to see me. I only go to the passenger side of a car rarely and I'd prefer my dog be able to see me when he gets out of the car.

We have tried it before at K-9 conferences. I've seen where a handler and dog were running in circles around a car trying to find each other after the dog was popped from the passenger side. It is the responsibility of the handler to know when he can pop the door remotely and how to properly position his car to minimize risk to his dog. When I arrive on scene of a traffic stop, I usually pull further to the right in more of a felony stop secondary position so that the other car is a buffer between traffic and my dog exiting. I largely find that it is a preference thing... i don think there is a WRONG side to place the popper if you have a full kennel. IF you have a prisoner partition in there I agree that it needs to stay on the driver side in case the popper fails you don't need to be running to the passenger side of the car to hit the popper.

Very valid point (I know I wrote that already...)

The Germans do not use poppers on their station wagons, thus the handler goes to the back of the car aniway..

Originally Posted by RL1

I drove up to Alpharetta last night and saw a Monroe Co dep with a singe red head in the driver side rear corner of his bar, then what I think was Henry County PD (though could have been a town since they were SB and I was NB) with just their rear lights on, half red half blue. Looked good to me, but my hometown and old dept both ran red/blue.

Henry runs all blue liberty's with a pair of amber rear outer inboards. a chmsl b/b and some strobe in tail lights some newer ones blue vertex in reverse lights.

Originally Posted by zacmtz7

Henry runs all blue liberty's with a pair of amber rear outer inboards. a chmsl b/b and some strobe in tail lights some newer ones blue vertex in reverse lights.

Yeah, I've seen those several times, but didn't know if they were changing it up.

I love how the colors are separated like that. Just needs a few flash pattern adjustments and a few lights taken off and it's great.

what a F'in waste of money on the rear. they have 3 lightbars to the rear...i would've de-populated the rear of the exterior lightbar and removed the interior headliner lightbar, since all they really needed was the outer edge to the rear

Originally Posted by cbpdogboy

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the automatic door popper be on the passenger side so the k-9 does not exit into traffic? Most traffic stops are performed on the right shoulder...

+1

Very nice install. Just starting a build like this one only a little less lighting.

Question for you. The power you have in the console for radios, sire box, ext. What power source did you use? Did you run your own power to the battery? Re-locate the power run to the back? I'm trying to decide what I'm going to do. This truck has great power sources in the rear cargo area but all of the components being installed will be in the console. Any advise you may have would be very helpful. Again very nice install.

Casey

Casey,

In my experience, I like to run my own power, fused of course, into whats known a terminal block underneath the center console or behind the dash. The terminal block helps keep things neat and organized as well as cutting back on bundles and bundles of wire leading into one power source. But, back to the point, I always run my own power, that way I know that the accessories I'm installing have plenty of power, and arent drawing from somewhere else, as would happen if you tapped into something. As an ASE certified mechanic there is nothing I hate more than seeing someone tap, splice, or chop into a factory power source. Forget fuse taps and wire splices, just run your own power. Its also WAY easier when it comes time to un-install everything you installed, you dont have to worry about doing any further damage to the vehicle, which will, in turn, boost the re-sale value of the vehicle. Its easy enough to wire in an ignition "hot" wire so that your accessories go off with the vehicle.

Hope it helps.

That all Red/all Blue LED setup looks good but doesn't make sense for a police vehicle in a Southern state considering that in the South an all Red lightbar usually signifies a fire or rescue vehicle. That said I'm not one of these guys who thinks it's a travesty for a police vehicle to have a full Red lightbar or all Red flashing lights so that lightbar's color doesn't bother me in the least.

Kind of off-topic but last night I was watching the new Alaska State Troopers and the K9 officer had a door popper on the right. The dog was trained to come and find him when released.

All that rear lighting and guess they forgot about side lighting. nothing on running boards, side windows, side mirrors, side PB.

Originally Posted by FEVER

the K-9 Popper side debate has long been argued. USUALLY K-9 is not the first vehicle on a traffic stop. Most times on traffic stops where K-9 is called the dog is already out of the car. Secondly... regardless of where the K-9 popper is... most handlers are not hitting the popper on the side of the interstate unless they are close to the car or fighting for their life because there is always the chance the dog goes into traffic.

I prefer mine on the driver side, you cannot always rely on voice commands for a dog when hitting a popper. How many times at the end of a pursuit have you seen MANY officers leave their sirens going? Try calling a dog with a siren going. We have some dogs that are trained to stay in the car until called. They fail to hear the commands over the sirens and never come. I'd prefer my dog be able to see me. I only go to the passenger side of a car rarely and I'd prefer my dog be able to see me when he gets out of the car.

We have tried it before at K-9 conferences. I've seen where a handler and dog were running in circles around a car trying to find each other after the dog was popped from the passenger side. It is the responsibility of the handler to know when he can pop the door remotely and how to properly position his car to minimize risk to his dog. When I arrive on scene of a traffic stop, I usually pull further to the right in more of a felony stop secondary position so that the other car is a buffer between traffic and my dog exiting. I largely find that it is a preference thing... i don think there is a WRONG side to place the popper if you have a full kennel. IF you have a prisoner partition in there I agree that it needs to stay on the driver side in case the popper fails you don't need to be running to the passenger side of the car to hit the popper.

thats a very true fact, course the pursuit side wasnt to big of a worry where my dad was a k9 handler. lived in a tourist town in missouri so he did alot of workin the crowd at nite on the strip. but when he did work the road normally it was him an one other officer, after the crowds left anyways. an he did stuff jus like you said accomadated the traffic stop to prevent his k9 from gettin hurt an always stayed in view of him. Kaliber was his k9, very smart dog an loved family member, he retired when i was a senior in HS, an passed away when i was in basic training. Kaliber LOPD 711 Guardian of the Night.