New PSP Lightbars?

CMS7

Member
May 23, 2010
42
Hallstead, PA
While on my way down 380 in Pennsylvania last evening I saw a brand new PSP cruiser with and led bar on it. No more v-shaped bars for PSP?
 

fp13-2

Member
May 20, 2010
358
Harrisburg, PA
That I'm not sure of, I've seen a lot recently with LED Vector or Visions on them that are new too. Maybe they are just trying out different things.
 

ff168577

Member
May 22, 2010
766
Levittown, Pa
It has been explained to me that the PSP is trying different lightbars to see what they prefer the best. I have seen a Motor Carrier Van with a full led bar on it.
 

CMS7

Member
May 23, 2010
42
Hallstead, PA
I was definately surprised to see something other than a vector on that car... saw the lights from quite a ways away and knew it was different..
 

medic550

Member
May 24, 2010
178
pa usa
Out west here there are a few cars that are doing the marked slicktop look. No Roof lightbar. Using what looks like tir3 on the rear door facing outward.
 

cvpiupfitter

New Member
Jun 24, 2010
1
USA, PA
PSP in in the process of "testing" new bars. They are testing 2 from Federal, a Code 3, Whelen Liberty, Tomar and I believe a Sound Off. Most if not all of the bars are west of Harrisburg.
 

CMS7

Member
May 23, 2010
42
Hallstead, PA
The one I saw was on 380 so not all of them are out in the western part of the state.. :)

cvpiupfitter said:
PSP in in the process of "testing" new bars. They are testing 2 from Federal, a Code 3, Whelen Liberty, Tomar and I believe a Sound Off. Most if not all of the bars are west of Harrisburg.
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
I've been meaning to ask, I saw a PSP on the turnpike that had what looked like a vertex flush mounted to the B post or door. Haven't seen that before. Didn't look too bad either, but was definatley different.
 

ff168577

Member
May 22, 2010
766
Levittown, Pa
PJH said:
I've been meaning to ask, I saw a PSP on the turnpike that had what looked like a vertex flush mounted to the B post or door. Haven't seen that before. Didn't look too bad either, but was definatley different.

The PSP slicktop car's have vertex's on the b-post, tir6 on the rear door panels, dual avenger above the rear-view mirror, and hideway in the corner marker lights. I am unsure of the rear of the car set-up. The main reason the PSP went to using slicktop car's is because it found out it saved them almost 5 mpg on gas.
 

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
Probably that much since they are usually on highways, driving more miles and at higher speeds than us city folk
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
NPS Ranger said:
They were still using Whelen single strobe beacons well into the 1990's so by 2020 or so they should have settled on an LED bar.
From what I've seen, they actually used a flashing halogen bulb.
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
ff168577 said:
The PSP slicktop car's have vertex's on the b-post, tir6 on the rear door panels, dual avenger above the rear-view mirror, and hideway in the corner marker lights. I am unsure of the rear of the car set-up. The main reason the PSP went to using slicktop car's is because it found out it saved them almost 5 mpg on gas.

I'm not sure that the MPG was the sole reason (though its a good one) but that PA state law was changed that allowed police vehicles to use less than 360 degree lighting as well a year or two ago.
 

ff168577

Member
May 22, 2010
766
Levittown, Pa
PJH said:
I'm not sure that the MPG was the sole reason (though its a good one) but that PA state law was changed that allowed police vehicles to use less than 360 degree lighting as well a year or two ago.

Yes it is the MPG is the main reason. My neighbor is a Trooper. The minor reasons were for the better concealment when parked, or when behind people. They were originally only several made for testing. After they found out aboute the MPG, more and more were added to the street.
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
MPGs have been a known issue for quite awhile. Anyone who studies the papers put out by MSP and CHP and all the fleet guys know this.


According to the LT over at Troop R, the slicktops being used right now are an addition to normal patrol duties and are mainly being used in the metro areas for traffic enforcement more than general patrol. The state law was changed in PA to allow less than 360 coverage which enabled PSP to more effectively use slicktops without spending a bunch of extra $$ to outfit them legally under the old law. PSP has always had unmarked but were generally (at least in NEPA) not used for general patrol duties unless line cars were out of service.


They are not going all slicktop - marked or unmarked - just adding more slick tops into the fleet as they cycle thru the fleet. Metro traffic/targeted areas will be given a higher percentage based on motor vehicle stats and personel availablity to do traffic enforcement.


PSP has always spent as little as possible for warning on their vehicles. Most of the cars in my area are pretty ratty and everything and anything that isn't destroyed is cannabilized to keep stuff working. Apparently it too an act of god and decent pricing in Harrisburg to get the feeble two little LED's on the rear of the SUV's and vans.
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
Unmarked police vehicle—A police vehicle not equipped with a roof-mounted light-bar assembly. The vehicle may display graphics, markings or decals, identifying the agency or department.

I think that was one of the changes, but I don't have the desire to go back and look at the actual wording changes.
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
Yep you're correct, I missed the boat. I was referring to the section which said


"360° visibility. Except for unmarked police vehicles, when flashing or revolving red, blue, yellow or amber lights are mounted on a vehicle, one or more of these lights shall be mounted to provide visibility to vehicles approaching from any direction (360° visibility), regardless of the method of mounting."


Never noticed that they had re-defined what an unmarked vehicle was. :lol:
 

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
Well, it IS PA...some things are just not meant to be normal. In fact...I don't think there is a normal city in PA. Each region is vastly different than the next (which is why I like it!)
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
PJH said:
PSP has always spent as little as possible for warning on their vehicles. Most of the cars in my area are pretty ratty and everything and anything that isn't destroyed is cannabilized to keep stuff working. Apparently it too an act of god and decent pricing in Harrisburg to get the feeble two little LED's on the rear of the SUV's and vans.

I'd always thought that the functionality of the Vision made it pretty expensive. If they didn't want to spend much they could just get a red Sentry 175 for $92. Not much by any means, but still effective. (Or maybe a red one and a blue one on an old-school *bar* lightbar)
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
Saw a whole bunch of the new PSP experimental bars this AM at a 10 patient MVA (18 wheeler vs 2 vehicles). They were the color changing type, modules flashing r/b in front and r/b/a in rear. Also seemed to all have different patterns, at least 1 was pretty bizarre with steady red being replaced with blue in a knight-rider pattern, & vice versa. Didn't seem to be as bright as a dedicated single color module would have been. We'll see what they end up buying.
 

JaBradt85

Member
May 23, 2010
193
Albany, NY
NPS Ranger said:
Saw a whole bunch of the new PSP experimental bars this AM at a 10 patient MVA (18 wheeler vs 2 vehicles). They were the color changing type, modules flashing r/b in front and r/b/a in rear. Also seemed to all have different patterns, at least 1 was pretty bizarre with steady red being replaced with blue in a knight-rider pattern, & vice versa. Didn't seem to be as bright as a dedicated single color module would have been. We'll see what they end up buying.
Liberties, Legends, RX2700's?
 

JaBradt85

Member
May 23, 2010
193
Albany, NY
ff168577 said:
The PSP slicktop car's have vertex's on the b-post, tir6 on the rear door panels, dual avenger above the rear-view mirror, and hideway in the corner marker lights. I am unsure of the rear of the car set-up. The main reason the PSP went to using slicktop car's is because it found out it saved them almost 5 mpg on gas.
Thats alot of holes in the body of the car.
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
ff168577 said:
Yeah well it doesn't help when you have that huge vista wing on the roof.
I think u mean vision
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Looks like a RX2700 or a Defender.
 

The Insider

New Member
Jul 18, 2010
3
Arizona
I'm pretty sure no final decision has been made. They have tried and tested a lot of light bars and kept the details pretty close to the vest. Not sure a regular on the street Trooper would know at this point. It does look like it is coming down to TOMAR, Whelen and Federal. They have test bars of these companies and have been evaluating for some time. Probably the Trooper in question has seen one of the Whelen test bars and thought that was what they were going to. If any one knows differently, please chime in.


The Insider
 

OXFORDFAM

New Member
Mar 27, 2011
1
USA/PA
CMS7 said:
While on my way down 380 in Pennsylvania last evening I saw a brand new PSP cruiser with and led bar on it. No more v-shaped bars for PSP?
The PSP was testing lightbars for the last 6 months. They recently approved the Whelen LED bar and purchased 400 of them. They also purchased 450 2011 Crown Vics and will be installing the new lightbars 8 per day. You'll probably still see some V-bars for several years as they are phased out.
 

PC Comms

Member
May 30, 2010
1,881
Beautiful southern Georgia!
Sad thing is, I heard that they don't auction out the old equipment, but destroy it instead. :-(
 

emt001357ff

Member
May 26, 2010
22
Wilkes Barre Pa
SireLite said:
Which Whelen led lightbar?


I have been seening the new PSP lightbars in my area. The ones that I have seen are the Liberty DUO bars. Just started seening them with in the past few weeks. Guess the barcks here muct have got some new cars.
 

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