Connecticut State police lighting

Zaza7

New Member
Oct 6, 2020
1
Connecticut
I’m just wondering What kind of interior Visor lights does the Connecticut State police uses, the one that has “State police” Written on the inside of the bar.

CA9B7923-BAC1-4BE1-A866-92B9FC132F1F.jpeg
like this one ^
 

EMT-BLS

New Member
Oct 28, 2011
2,640
Waterbury, CT
Whelen makes it for them. The lightbars also have the text, and there was a version of the Talon dash lights that had text as well. I'm told it's a legality thing, as CSP doesn't have markings, so the lights do it for them.
 
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RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
I’ve never seen it on the visor bar, that looks sharp!
 

StEaLtH2

Member
Mar 3, 2011
2,159
New England
They have some of the coolest stuff.
Ive seen the rear inner edge with it as well9F8270B6-89F4-42D1-853A-96DA380D5350.png
 
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firebuff17

Member
Mar 28, 2011
774
CT
They do have some pretty cool “innovative” lighting.
I believe the lightbars are FST and RST with special center lens’ that have the wording in them.
The only person I can think of off hand that might have an answer would be @emtanderson51. He works for One of the companies that up fits the CSP.
 

cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
Whelen is in Chester, CT. They are custom FST and RST's. Both front and rear center sections have this on the SUV's which do not have exterior lightbars. Sedans have it in the center of the exterior lightbar. CSP uses all unmarked take-home cars for everyone. There are also soft cars with no push bars, etc. These are for light-duty, detectives, brass, etc.

CT has taken a major step forward with all of this as just 20-30 years ago the cars didn't even come with consoles. You used to have the low band radio, rotary switch for the lightbar where the clock should have been in the center of the dash, and a siren. The old WS224's were remote mounted on the pass side dash. The lights then were the "rookie racks" or "mickey mouse" bars with a center 360 strobe and two rear-facing PAR46 strobes and headlight flashers. The lightbars were removable. Once Edge bars were phased in the same quick-connect plug setup was used. What was odd is some of them had the strobe PSU mounted in the trunk. If you didn't plug in the bar correctly or there was corrosion not all of the lights would operate. Pretty much everybody added their own lights on the dash and rear deck for more warning. Now that is not needed, especially in the sedans as they have removable lightbars, interior XLP's in the front and six ION's (newer cars have RST) on the back deck in addition to grille, corner, reverse and tail, back side window and front 1/4 panel lights. In the sedans all of the lights sync. Park mode, arrow's, etc. Driver/pass side cut off, etc. It's all pretty trick and a far cry from back in the day...
 
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O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
Whelen Inner Edge FST (dual or Tri Color WeCAN). If the units look extremely low profile and a bit less wide, then they are Whelen Inner Edge XLP Duo WeCAN. Either or, are RW(RWA)/BW(BWA). *My only question is how they get the letters to go away when shifted from the half amber to full warning colors ...would seem strange for them to have to manually slide the transparent letters cutouts in and out depending on the use of the lights.
**The rear bars are predominantly Whelen RST WeCAN (10 modules) Duo’s (RA/BA), but the ones not yet upgraded have Whelen RTX’s WeCAN (basically 6-8 Duo Ions)...and some old Interceptor sedans actually have just two duo ions on either side of the center brake light and the older PIU had Whelen Dominator 8’s lightstick.
***The rest of the car is equipped with all Whelen products: Front: Ford WigWag plug-in, push bars - two Ions (W) with either two more or Microns above in grille (1R 1B), Vertex’s or Ions in HL’s...front sides - LinV2 (or23’s), side rear-passenger windows - Ions, Rear Hatch side windows - Ions, Taillights- Vertexs & Flasher. All run by CantrolWC, Carbide or I believe some new 2020’s have Core. ***No idea why they don’t use any side mirror warning lighting (V2’s, SoS intersectors, Feniex Pucks, FS Cresents, or even Whelen Mirror Beam Ions...Would think the Int/Pucks/V2’s/Cresents under the mirrors would be utilized as it helps define the whole vehicle width, helps at intersections AND serve as side scene/alley lighting - which the slick tops could benefit from since they don’t have the lightbar for that.
 

O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
BTW - does anyone know why we have such a diverse range of police lighting ‘standards” within less than a 300 mile area?....NY State: Red/White forward only, and RBA rear —CT State: R/B/W forward (and Amber now) and same rear. — Rhode Island State; Red Only —Mass State: Blue/White only forward, and Blue w/ one Red and One Amber in the rear — VT & NH B/W only...Maine: Blue and 2 white only forward and Blue only rear — NJ RB bars but only Red auxiliary lighting front (and if you wanna add PA to the list: Red/blue ).
****Seems like it could result in new residents or those who don’t travel much to be confused and possibly not pull over for another state thinking it’s a Volunteer Fireman or impersonator (besides for those who are pulled over IN CT, as RB is pretty well known as Police nationwide. I know some southern states do Blue (BW) only, but each state is approx the same size as all of the ones I just listed put together (besides NY). I know I never would have pulled over in RI for all Red. **Even more odd is how municipalities in southern CT vary with the Pas: Blue Dri: Red and then towns like Darien and New Canaan now doing Pas:BRB and Dri: RBR ....seems like it all makes it so easy for impersonators since as long as they get some RB lights a person doesn’t know how to tell what’s legit and not.

edited to reflect correct PA LE colors
 
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Dave F

Moderator
Sep 13, 2015
1,343
Berks County, PA
@02warnings we have an entire thread dedicated to states and their respective colors, if you wish to refer to that, so we can keep this one on topic
 
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O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
Whelen Inner Edge FST (dual or Tri Color WeCAN). If the units look extremely low profile and a bit less wide, then they are Whelen Inner Edge XLP Duo WeCAN. Either or, are RW(RWA)/BW(BWA). *My only question is how they get the letters to go away when shifted from the half amber to full warning colors ...would seem strange for them to have to manually slide the transparent letters cutouts in and out depending on the use of the lights.
**The rear bars are predominantly Whelen RST WeCAN (10 modules) Duo’s (RA/BA), but the ones not yet upgraded have Whelen RTX’s WeCAN (basically 6-8 Duo Ions)...and some old Interceptor sedans actually have just two duo ions on either side of the center brake light and the older PIU had Whelen Dominator 8’s lightstick.
***The rest of the car is equipped with all Whelen products: Front: Ford WigWag plug-in, push bars - two Ions (W) with either two more or Microns above in grille (1R 1B), Vertex’s or Ions in HL’s...front sides - LinV2 (or23’s), side rear-passenger windows - Ions, Rear Hatch side windows - Ions, Taillights- Vertexs & Flasher. All run by CantrolWC, Carbide or I believe some new 2020’s have Core. ***No idea why they don’t use any side mirror warning lighting (V2’s, SoS intersectors, Feniex Pucks, FS Cresents, or even Whelen Mirror Beam Ions...Would think the Int/Pucks/V2’s/Cresents under the mirrors would be utilized as it helps define the whole vehicle width, helps at intersections AND serve as side scene/alley lighting - which the slick tops could benefit from since they don’t have the lightbar for that.
Also forgot to ask a couple questions....does anyone know why the CSP uses Inner Edge Visor lights AND the lightbar..?? Makes sense to have the Rear inner edges for added visibility during stops, but the front doesn’t make any sense. **Pic: XLP Duo inner edge with a Legacy Duo lightbar.

*****And why doesn’t CSP utilize the headlight hide-away option on any of their PIU’s?? Even the 2020’s, which have a factory option to have up to 3 SOS mPowers in each headlight, or upfitted with up to 3 other brand lights - Microns, T3’s, Microburst’s, etc. It would make even more sense to have at least 1-2 since the CSP vehicles don’t utilize any form of “fog light” area lighting (also a factory option) other than in some 2012-2015 PIU’s that have PAR28’s, nor any Tracers (or other brand running board location lighting).

Last...has anyone else seen the “truly unmarked” vehicles that they’ve finally used with non-obvious civilian plates (.not the obvious ###-UTZ,WWL,WHK)?? I and several other people have seen the two PIU’s starting with BA-##### or PI’s with AM-##### — neither have spot-lights in the A-pillars (but you can see the front, rear, and side lighting and cameras etc if you are paying attention)...all the same things as on the “usual” ones: Ions in front grille and side rear windows, FST and RST in front/rear windshields, BUT these do have plate mount lights and Under Mirror lights - likely due to the lack of spotlight. The officers are always “plain clothed” but with badges, vests and other utilities and vehicles are Black or White PI/PIU’s that are 4-8yrs old and tinted. Anyone seen any others like this??
****Recently saw a dark brown PI with lightbar, and plates had a round state seal on the left and then just “1•7” on it down near exit 3 on 95. Another identical one a week earlier, with “SP•5” up exit 37 on the Merrit (it’s NOT a municipal plate, nor was it “5•SP” like towns in CT are).
 

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firebuff17

Member
Mar 28, 2011
774
CT
Also forgot to ask a couple questions....does anyone know why the CSP uses Inner Edge Visor lights AND the lightbar..?? Makes sense to have the Rear inner edges for added visibility during stops, but the front doesn’t make any sense. **Pic: XLP Duo inner edge with a Legacy Duo lightbar.

They use both because the cars are take home and the officers can remove the exterior lightbar when not on shift. If they are off shift and need to respond they have the warning power with the interior bar.

Since Ford dropped the sedans, the state moved to the utilities. The roofs are to high to be removing the bar, so now they are using interior only. I like the new utility set ups with the exception on the front. They could use another pair or two of heads to compliment and fill it out.
 
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O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
They use both because the cars are take home and the officers can remove the exterior lightbar when not on shift. If they are off shift and need to respond they have the warning power with the interior bar.

Since Ford dropped the sedans, the state moved to the utilities. The roofs are to high to be removing the bar, so now they are using interior only. I like the new utility set ups with the exception on the front. They could use another pair or two of heads to compliment and fill it out.
Thanks for the answer...and I agree completely - the two Microns in the grille are not sufficient, and the ions on the push bars are single color white (no clue why they would waste $ on single color these days when the duo’s/trio’s are only about $10-$15 more per light). I also think they could use two plate lights (ions) in the rear & some under mirror lights instead of the front fender V23’s (which can only be seen from about 45deg between front/side, rather than from the front, rear and sides like Intersectors, Pucks, LinV’s and Crescents)....and as I mentioned, the headlights factory readiness not being utilized at all is a bit silly.
***Is anyone else surprised that more agencies/states, including CT, don’t use Federal Signal lights (at least Spectralux ILS’s and CN Signalmasters)?? I only ask because they are the brightest of all the manufacturers, even with the reduced size, and have superior flash patterns to all competitors (which i’d consider to be: Whelen, Feniex, Code3 & Soundoff). ****And yes, I know of Whelens two locations, one is in CT....but that’s irrelevant just like Chicago PD using Code3 for so long despite FS being located in U-Park, IL. Texas SP using FS even though Feniex is headquartered in Austin, etc. My point(s) being, highway agencies are where lighting is extremely important, and the other being that it seems as though all CT law enforcement are Whelen users (state and muni).
 

cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
Thanks for the answer...and I agree completely - the two Microns in the grille are not sufficient, and the ions on the push bars are single color white (no clue why they would waste $ on single color these days when the duo’s/trio’s are only about $10-$15 more per light). I also think they could use two plate lights (ions) in the rear & some under mirror lights instead of the front fender V23’s (which can only be seen from about 45deg between front/side, rather than from the front, rear and sides like Intersectors, Pucks, LinV’s and Crescents)....and as I mentioned, the headlights factory readiness not being utilized at all is a bit silly.
***Is anyone else surprised that more agencies/states, including CT, don’t use Federal Signal lights (at least Spectralux ILS’s and CN Signalmasters)?? I only ask because they are the brightest of all the manufacturers, even with the reduced size, and have superior flash patterns to all competitors (which i’d consider to be: Whelen, Feniex, Code3 & Soundoff). ****And yes, I know of Whelens two locations, one is in CT....but that’s irrelevant just like Chicago PD using Code3 for so long despite FS being located in U-Park, IL. Texas SP using FS even though Feniex is headquartered in Austin, etc. My point(s) being, highway agencies are where lighting is extremely important, and the other being that it seems as though all CT law enforcement are Whelen users (state and muni).
The reasons for the lights being the way they are (too many/too few) is not that complicated...it is simply because that's what was ordered. Many agencies simply do not put as much thought into what blinks and what does not as you might. All the 2016 and newer have headlight flashers which drown out any grill or headlight housing lights...and the 2020's this is even more the case.

Whelen is used because that's what has always been used. Nothing more, nothing less. From the "Mickey Mouse" rookie racks until now...

Brighter is not always better. More lights is also not always better. In the daytime this isn't a factor, but on dark country roads, or even dark stretches of highway, all kinds of blinking and insanely bright is not a good thing. That's why the park mode is different than the drive modes. Many years ago CHP did a study and found they reduced their traffic stop rear end collisions by 80% by turing off their main bars and using just the hazards and maybe two yellow lights. 80%.
 
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cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
Last...has anyone else seen the “truly unmarked” vehicles that they’ve finally used with non-obvious civilian plates (.not the obvious ###-UTZ,WWL,WHK)?? I and several other people have seen the two PIU’s starting with BA-##### or PI’s with AM-##### — neither have spot-lights in the A-pillars (but you can see the front, rear, and side lighting and cameras etc if you are paying attention)...all the same things as on the “usual” ones: Ions in front grille and side rear windows, FST and RST in front/rear windshields, BUT these do have plate mount lights and Under Mirror lights - likely due to the lack of spotlight. The officers are always “plain clothed” but with badges, vests and other utilities and vehicles are Black or White PI/PIU’s that are 4-8yrs old and tinted. Anyone seen any others like this??
****Recently saw a dark brown PI with lightbar, and plates had a round state seal on the left and then just “1•7” on it down near exit 3 on 95. Another identical one a week earlier, with “SP•5” up exit 37 on the Merrit (it’s NOT a municipal plate, nor was it “5•SP” like towns in CT are).
The 1-7 is a DMV inspector. The "1" means it's DMV. "2" is DOT and so on...

As far as the soft cars with normal plates, there are many, many LE agencies in CT that have cars like this with normal plates. DHS, Park Rangers, Veterans Affairs PD, MTA and AMTRAK have been known to not use fed plates from time to time. Yale, DOC, ENCON, DEEP bosses, DMHAS, Judicial Marshals, state uni PD's, Community College PD's, Tribal PD's, CLA, BWC, BLPA, Aquarion, MDC, etc. all may do this. My Chief has a plain white Explorer, tinted, Inner bars, no spot with two letter-five numbers and I have an identical car but black. Both of ours start with "AS" before the numbers. We are not state. All of the marked cars have muni plates though. Most boss cars will not have spotlights. Part of the reason is they are not needed, another part is that due to some of the unions rules, bosses cannot make traffic stops. We can make them, but MUST call patrol to the stop.

Did the "SP-5" car have a state seal like the DMV guy? If not, and it had regular plates with those letters it's a private citizen or possibly a security company.
 

O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
The 1-7 is a DMV inspector. The "1" means it's DMV. "2" is DOT and so on...

As far as the soft cars with normal plates, there are many, many LE agencies in CT that have cars like this with normal plates. DHS, Park Rangers, Veterans Affairs PD, MTA and AMTRAK have been known to not use fed plates from time to time. Yale, DOC, ENCON, DEEP bosses, DMHAS, Judicial Marshals, state uni PD's, Community College PD's, Tribal PD's, CLA, BWC, BLPA, Aquarion, MDC, etc. all may do this. My Chief has a plain white Explorer, tinted, Inner bars, no spot with two letter-five numbers and I have an identical car but black. Both of ours start with "AS" before the numbers. We are not state. All of the marked cars have muni plates though. Most boss cars will not have spotlights. Part of the reason is they are not needed, another part is that due to some of the unions rules, bosses cannot make traffic stops. We can make them, but MUST call patrol to the stop.

Did the "SP-5" car have a state seal like the DMV guy? If not, and it had regular plates with those letters it's a private citizen or possibly a security company.
yup - state seal with the SP-5...

yup - state seal with the SP-5...
BTW - the 1-7 one was posted up on the side of the highway, and the center of the Liberty2 bar said state police...so i’m surprised that that was a DMV one...
 

cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
BTW - the 1-7 one was posted up on the side of the highway, and the center of the Liberty2 bar said state police...so i’m surprised that that was a DMV one...
No offense, but I highly doubt that if it was a DMV Insp. They had "DMV" in stickers in the center back in the day and now, if they have a lighted center sign, it says "Motor Vehicle" in the same over under as the CSP had. Unless they snatched an old bar from a CSP car and we're using that...which I highly doubt.

DMV big hats are...sticklers...for the rules. That's why they are in that job. They have even been known to burn PD's for infractions such has white reverse lights flashing (*cough* Windsor *cough*)...
 

O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
I didn't quite follow all you said.....
1. Not sure what I could be offended by...unless you were implying that I was lying (which would indeed be offensive to suggest that ANYONE would be lying about such a thing out of the blue).
So, I assume it wasn't that - and that's what I need clarified.
2. Like I said from the start, I have ZERO knowledge of anything other than what I witnessed that day....a Dark Brown Metalic Interceptor (sedan) with either a liberty2 or a legacy lightbar (was a few weeks before I shared the story - so memories not positive...BUT what I am 100% sure of is that the center of the bar had the State Police emblem/stencil (unlit....although it was day). He got on exit 3 (or 4) Southbound 95, and after about 1/10th of a mile he threw on rear warning (which had white in it for sure) for approx 2 seconds and pulled off into that "open space"...remaining posted up there (virtually across from the weigh station on the Northbound side).
3. I didn't even know DMV inspectors were a big deal, nor that they were considered "officers"....as well as most of the rest of the list you mentioned in your previous post.
4. Does your comment about the reverse lights flashing mean that it's illegal to have REV-white light flash or that ANY white light flashing to the rear is illegal in CT even for police?? **If so, that's the first I've heard of it - and it's pretty silly (restricting HOW MUCH white light flashing to the REAR...at NIGHT....and stationary is understandable, but to not allow it at all is odd since the rev lights flashing is a pretty common thing historically, in tons of states/cities/towns.
*5. I assume your last line was implying that Windsor PD's fleet had REV-lights flashing? Was it a "big" thing or do you just happen to know about it??
***BTW: did you (anyone) ever figure out what the SP-5 was? and another "curve ball": do you know if CT Troopers are allowed to add lighting to their individual cruisers like many other states (like Georgia - yet, they should probably put in SOME restrictions on that lol)?? And/or are they allowed to update/customize any/all of their vehicles existing/standard CT SP lights patterns/phases?
 

Turd Ferguson

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Jul 3, 2011
2,250
Sumner, Wa
I got some Pepsi and Jack Daniel's.
 
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firebuff17

Member
Mar 28, 2011
774
CT
@O2Warnings
To touch your last part of your last post.

I know the officers have choice of adding more lighting to their rides, at their expense. Also they could not alter (placement or colors) of provided lighting. The activation of the troopers self added lighting had to be controlled separately also. So I doubt that they can change patterns or phases of provided lighting.

I haven’t seen any new utilities with added lighting yet. And the previous generation NGPI’s with the older liberty or the newer legacy Lightbar’s both with interior bars, I didn’t really see any troopers add any lighting (as they were pretty well lit as is).
Previous to the NGPI’s, the sedans with older liberties and the rear deck third brake light talon style lights, and the even older CVPI’s with 8 strobe edge bars and rear deck single dashmisers, I saw A LOT of additions.
 
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cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
*My only question is how they get the letters to go away when shifted from the half amber to full warning colors ...would seem strange for them to have to manually slide the transparent letters cutouts in and out depending on the use of the lights.
They are always there. The letters are clear and the lights flash through them. Low power amber for the sign. You can see them if you look carefully or it's put in low power flash.
 
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O2Warnings

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Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
They are always there. The letters are clear and the lights flash through them. Low power amber for the sign. You can see them if you look carefully or it's put in low power flash.
I understand that - it’s like a stencil with clear letters, BUT it woukd seem that that would then reduce output (be apparent) when switched to warning modes because those two inner modules would be less potent due to the non clear parts of the stencils.

**Also, since the whole FST does white flood, and has R and B, does that mean they have to buy FST Trios or is it possible to have some modules be duo and some trio (like the whole thing either RW / BW and just the center two are RWA / BWA ...OR...does it mean the whole thing has to be tri-color?...if so, then it would seem logical to make the other 4 modules the warning color for the opposite side (so driver side and passenger side outter 4 modules could flash RBW...which I’ve never seen any trooper vehicles do.
 

O2Warnings

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Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
25F2B7E4-0EC0-4CCD-B4D4-05029B73748E.jpeg@O2Warnings
To touch your last part of your last post.

I know the officers have choice of adding more lighting to their rides, at their expense. Also they could not alter (placement or colors) of provided lighting. The activation of the troopers self added lighting had to be controlled separately also. So I doubt that they can change patterns or phases of provided lighting.

I haven’t seen any new utilities with added lighting yet. And the previous generation NGPI’s with the older liberty or the newer legacy Lightbar’s both with interior bars, I didn’t really see any troopers add any lighting (as they were pretty well lit as is).
Previous to the NGPI’s, the sedans with older liberties and the rear deck third brake light talon style lights, and the even older CVPI’s with 8 strobe edge bars and rear deck single dashmisers, I saw A LOT of additions.
Thanks - and yeah, I only asked because I have seen some, like in GA, the SP there seem to have some Griswald competition going on (who can make their car best seen from space...which looks ridiculous). ***cant seem to load the other one, but this is quite similar to what i’ve seen GASP do...one had 3 Dual Avenger on dash, one hanging below the PAS side XLP, and then a clear single avenger between the D&P sides of the XLP. . . plus another 10 more lights in the grill /bumper / headlights.
 
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cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
I understand that - it’s like a stencil with clear letters, BUT it woukd seem that that would then reduce output (be apparent) when switched to warning modes because those two inner modules would be less potent due to the non clear parts of the stencils.

**Also, since the whole FST does white flood, and has R and B, does that mean they have to buy FST Trios or is it possible to have some modules be duo and some trio (like the whole thing either RW / BW and just the center two are RWA / BWA ...OR...does it mean the whole thing has to be tri-color?...if so, then it would seem logical to make the other 4 modules the warning color for the opposite side (so driver side and passenger side outter 4 modules could flash RBW...which I’ve never seen any trooper vehicles do.
It does not reduce perceived output. You also have the entire rest of the bar right next to it. As I previously mentioned, nobody really cares that much. I remember running a teardrop, wailer, and a headlight flasher. It's the operator, not the lights, that get you where you need to go. In many instances, too much flashing is counterproductive to the end goal.

Red on the driver's side, blue on the pass. That's as complicated as it needs to be regardless of Duo or Trio. I'll say this part again also, the people that spec this stuff out are nowhere near as consumed with what flashes how, where, or when. Whelen reps suggest this programming or that programming and make it happen. Some people monkey with the programming and then when there is a vehicle inspection...they fail. Uniform appearance, blaahblaahblaah...
 

cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
The 4 above lights were used in the 1960s as the warning lights by the CSP, before lightbars came in to use.
Teardrop is as far back as I go. Back in the day, I was obsessed with the CA steady burn swing down lights. Since we had no way to figure out what they were back then, I made my own out of a Sho-me grille light and used two more in blue and yellow on the back deck driver's side. Now I know they were ESS-Coplites.

With the benefit of hindsight, I guess I could have just asked on the radio when the skip from CHP came through...
 
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O2Warnings

Member
Jul 14, 2020
30
CT
They use both because the cars are take home and the officers can remove the exterior lightbar when not on shift. If they are off shift and need to respond they have the warning power with the interior bar.

Since Ford dropped the sedans, the state moved to the utilities. The roofs are to high to be removing the bar, so now they are using interior only. I like the new utility set ups with the exception on the front. They could use another pair or two of heads to compliment and fill it out.
Of all the other q’s, I forgot to ask if anyone knows why they seem to be the only agency that despite being Red driver side and Blue passenger side on front and back then have red on both P&D front and rear-Sides with blue in the middle (2nd row windows)….rather than blue on the Passenger sides and Red on the drivers sides. THAT is definitely something that was “given thought” to and done uniformly on all vehicles (even on the new Chargers - although they have added another set of 1R and 1B microns/ions to the fronts, making it a total of 2 blue and 2 red in the grilles…yet they didn’t do that with the new PIU’s that were issued at the same time. One would think that they would have done one or the other — I like the extra two, and would think the SUV’s would warrant them just as much as the Chargers. **Still baffled by the Amber on the fronts, seems like white with the stencils would be more eye catching/legible. Are there any other Dept’s in the country w/ forward Amber?
 

cabunty

Member
Sep 21, 2014
135
New England
Of all the other q’s, I forgot to ask if anyone knows why they seem to be the only agency that despite being Red driver side and Blue passenger side on front and back then have red on both P&D front and rear-Sides with blue in the middle (2nd row windows)….rather than blue on the Passenger sides and Red on the drivers sides. THAT is definitely something that was “given thought” to and done uniformly on all vehicles (even on the new Chargers - although they have added another set of 1R and 1B microns/ions to the fronts, making it a total of 2 blue and 2 red in the grilles…yet they didn’t do that with the new PIU’s that were issued at the same time. One would think that they would have done one or the other — I like the extra two, and would think the SUV’s would warrant them just as much as the Chargers. **Still baffled by the Amber on the fronts, seems like white with the stencils would be more eye catching/legible. Are there any other Dept’s in the country w/ forward Amber?
It's so there is red and blue from the side.

Some people who work there get wound up just showing blue... For example, if you are across the road sideways or running the box and it's only the passenger side of the car people are seeing...they will get spun up over it only being blue. These types are concerned about being seen as volunteer fire...which is silly...but it is exactly how some people think.

What's funny about that is the fact that right up into the early 90's all of the issued lights were all blue as there were still some rookie rack mickey mouse bars on cars...
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
So late to the party - but as previously stated, it’s a custom job by Whelen as they have done custom work since the crossbars used.

From a history perspective, all our cars were ordered without am/fm radios until the delete option cost more than keeping the radio. There was a four position rotary switch where the radios would have been (front/rear/all/cruise).

This carried over from the crossbars to the first generation 9000’s which were setup for an in/out pattern (vs usual alternating) with the light up state police.

those were replaced overtime when the diagnostic bars came out (concurrently with center consoles and am/fm radios).

Those assigned to road patrol will have the bars on (back in the not to far past) when they leave home. The first 30min on and the last 30min is known as GP or general patrol. They cannot (could not) come off until after.

When we got Art Spauda as the commissioner, all those placards that attached to the trunk were employed when the bars went on for the same duration. After his time was up, I think every one found a dumpster.

as a history note, placards were used up until the 70’s?

Also until the 2000’s, cars could be any color as the state bought in fleet quainities. Dark blue was common, burgundy was also seen (usually assigned to troopers that admin wanted to make an example out of - no one liked them).

the plates are general issue. UTZ being common but there are plenty of variants. DMV cops have marked vehicles and their own plates - and there aren’t many of them.

current rides are Cantrol/core.

Back in the strobe days, troopers could add additional lights, but had to be seperate from thr insalled electrical system and they were responsible for any damage they did. The dash masters in strobe and halogen were popular.

officially is was discouraged but no one really cared.

we experimented with some of the traffic units with the built in arrow but never caught on. My capt attempted to have some competitor products used to try to get better pricing from Whelen but upper management said no.

CSP with the edge bars and up were always red on the driver and blue on the passenger.

CT use to be a blue light/emergency color state until the late 80’s or so, which is why you see the blue domes on the cross bar. Later versions had red/blue to the rear.

all the states north of CT are blue for LE, west and south red was the emergency color. In CT red is the only “emergency” color and red/white/blue is common for said vehicles, and blue used for VFF’s with no ROW rights.
 

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Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
At least now we know why they had the huge edge bars on the cars, so when they stuck they're head out the window and it was sunny they had shade, and raining they wouldn't get drenched. That looks like a 55 inch edge on the old brick crown Vic. The other looks to be about a 52.
 

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