Slick Top or Lightbar???

fireman616wfd

fireman616wfd

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May 24, 2010
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Oxford, MS
I am a part-time Deputy Sheriff away from fighting fires full time. I graduate part-time academy in 2 weeks and the Sheriff is giving me a 2003 Crown Victoria that has a Whelen Edge 8 strobe bar on it. I sell for Sound Off and will outfitting my car in all sound off equipment but he said i can make it a slick top or put a new bar on it.. what is everyones opinion? I also have a drug dog and I will be working alot of traffic stops mainly for narcotics. We are a very small Dept. with a fleet of 9 vehicles.


Sheriff- Dodge Pickup slick top (marked unit)


Chief Deputy- CVPI slick top (marked unit)


Investigator- CVPI slick top (unmarked unit)


Deputy- CVPI lightbar (marked unit)


Deputy- CVPI lightbar (marked unit)


DUI Officer- CVPI lightbar (marked unit)


Deputy- CVPI lightbar (marked unit)


Deputy- CVPI lightbar (marked unit)


Deputy- CVPI slick top (marked unit)


* all vehicles are white in color with plain black stencil and stripes.
 
I will have a push bumper... I know i can get either a pinnacle for the roof or if i go slick top then a pinnacle to the front and rear.


I just worry about "scene lighting" for when i am working my dog and also on traffic stops not having those takedowns to shine off in that car.
 
fireman616wfd said:
I will have a push bumper... I know i can get either a pinnacle for the roof or if i go slick top then a pinnacle to the front and rear.

I just worry about "scene lighting" for when i am working my dog and also on traffic stops not having those takedowns to shine off in that car.
Click to expand...

That would be my worry. Your wanting to do interdiction and will be out on stops longer then the normal traffic officer. I say go with a lightbar with quad (4) takedowns so you can turn night into day when out there on those lonely dark roads searching by yourself.


You can also throw in a set of grille lights, deck lights, dash light, HLF and a set of corner strobes/leds.
 
Agree with /\ if your gonna be doing stops at night and using the dog, you are gonna want as much scene lighting as you can afford... quad TD's alley's the whole 9. interior takedowns just dont push enough light
 
whew idk about quad takedowns lol that wouldnt look very good but WOULD be o so bright! thought about mounting some Sound Off Mighty Nite Lights somewhere in the front but dont know where i could so they would be effective.
 
What about a Pinnacle Lightbar with 4 TDs and an Pinnacle Interior LB without any TDs? Or a predator II or UltraLite mounted above the RVM?


A pair of XP63s or Ghosts in the grille and an A-Post spotlight and you are all set... For the front.
 
Why don't you run the road for a couple months and then see what you need?


FWIW, I wouldn't put anything on the rear deck, screen or headliner if you are chauffeuring a dog around. If you forget their favorite squeaky that may munch on your equipment, plus you will never clean out all the hair and slobber.


If you really get into interdiction, a 12 volt LED worklight that can be mounted on a stand, such as you can get from Magnalight, are really useful when you are dismantling cars by the roadside or working wreck and crime scenes. Out in the boonies I've needed floodlighting far more often than I've needed to signal the mothership.
 
The interior Pinnacle TDs just arent bright enough to light up a scene. Now, if you could get a FS ILS, those TD are bright and would be very effective. 4 TD in the Pinnacle may be the way to go for exterior bar. TXDPS has done it with the Freedoms (no spot lights on A pillar) and are doing it again with the Liberties (now with spotlights on new cars). They are way out in the boonies or on a lonely road/highway.


You COULD also EITHER


1.throw in a dash light and a Pinnacle with 4 TD so your warning is covered


2.if you can do Fed Sig, you could do the standard, factory Pinnacle with only 2 TD so you have ample warning then get a dual viper S2 in white/white mounted at the RVM. Same thing as the TD in the ILS and Legend virtually. I have seen it and is the perfect TD for slicktops.
 
For cars doing traffic stops, I would like to see a "busy" grill and push bar or a roof-top bar. Since you have a K-9, how does the dog respond to interior flash back? That should be a consideration. Also, can you mount long range driving lights for "take-downs" on the push bar.


Others have mentioned covering the rear end. A roof top traffic advisor in amber really accomplishes that function very well.
 
Most properly outfitted k-9 vehicle have a cage that would keep the k-9 from getting to any deck mounted lights. The main problem you would get on the rear deck is dust, dirt, and dog hair...I know from experience.


I would get a pair of the 1400 lumen 5" Rectangle led scene lights from Soundoff and mount them on the push bumper. You can have them flash in warning mode, but steady burn for while searching vehicles...


You could also mount a pair of Mighty Lights to the side mirrors while having a pair of Ghosts mounted under the side mirrors for warning. They Mighty Lights could be synced to flash in warning mode with the Par36 led scene lights on the push bumper.


That should give you plenty of forward scene ligting that would also double as warning lights...


Add an interior Pinnacle, 2 or 4 Soundoff Universal Led Haws, a multipattern headlight flasher, and a 4 Ghosts on the pushbumper synced with the side mirror Ghosts ( 2 forward facing/1 on each side for intersection)


This would be very effective, but low profile...IMO
 
For traffic, I am a big fan of slick tops (was surprised to see the DUI unit has a bar, but I can understand wanting TD's for SFST's). HOWEVER, I am going to stray from my usual slick top stance and say go with a light bar. Sound off has some great products, and most of their bars can hardly be seen when off, but light up the sky when on. Interdiction is NOT (edit, didn't proof read) my primary focus, but I have a lot of lee-way and am currently the number 3 or 4 drug finder in my department. I know that you can easily miss something when you don't have enough light. Plus, I like to be able to glance up and make sure my back up unit is ok when I'm deep in a car. I feel that interdiction should have a lot of scene lights up front, and a lot of warning lights in the back, just because of what you do and where you do it. Plus, a lot of the stuff that you are able to get good drugs stops from aren't going to come from 'their aren't any cops around, lets be stupid'. Mules aren't (edit again) the smartest drivers, but they know to keep a steady speed, don't be distracted, and don't draw attention to yourself.
 
In my experience, your going to get the drugs and no-no's if you have slicktop vehicle or not. People just don't pay attention at all these days. JSV's are everywhere. Its just a matter of doing your part correctly.


The suggestions above for the quad TD lights are a good one...aka TXDPS style. Bright light is good, but your flashlight is going to work even better at night.


We have found (as CHP did years ago) that just running a traffic arrow or even just your four ways at times keeps the curious traffic moving and less likely to end up in your trunk.


Remember, your in a marked vehicle that already looks like a police car. Your not sporting an undercover Kia.


Take small steps and see what is really needed and not needed. Spend your money on worthwhile equipment that will actually help you do your job effectively.
 
This is tough because how do you have your cake, and eat it too?


I am a big supporter of having a lightbar for your requirements. I would leave the "low profile" look for the undercover narcotics guys. Many of your probable cause searches are going to start because of a traffic stop for traffic violations anyway.


Be seen, and be safe! My vote is for a full size lightbar.
 
If you have the money, you can make a slicktop do most anything a lightbar equipped vehicle can. I'm running an older Inner Edge with a center clear LED for takedowns and two spotlights and have all the light I want at night.
 
With a marked vehicle I would go Lightbar. Todays LED lightbars are clear and very low profile . They arent very visible and u get more light. I have a Tomar High power blade . Its very low profile and very bright. Stay safe, be visible.
 
The Texas DPS bars work real well with the 4 TD's. They are EXTREMELY bright. Thats what i would do if i were you
 
cbpdogboy said:
Most properly outfitted k-9 vehicle have a cage that would keep the k-9 from getting to any deck mounted lights. The main problem you would get on the rear deck is dust, dirt, and dog hair...I know from experience.

I would get a pair of the 1400 lumen 5" Rectangle led scene lights from Soundoff and mount them on the push bumper. You can have them flash in warning mode, but steady burn for while searching vehicles...


You could also mount a pair of Mighty Lights to the side mirrors while having a pair of Ghosts mounted under the side mirrors for warning. They Mighty Lights could be synced to flash in warning mode with the Par36 led scene lights on the push bumper.


That should give you plenty of forward scene ligting that would also double as warning lights...


Add an interior Pinnacle, 2 or 4 Soundoff Universal Led Haws, a multipattern headlight flasher, and a 4 Ghosts on the pushbumper synced with the side mirror Ghosts ( 2 forward facing/1 on each side for intersection)


This would be very effective, but low profile...IMO
Click to expand...


I still think this setup would be the most effective out of all the others suggested...plenty of scene lighting and warning lights...
 
Thanks everyone for the suggestions...


This is what i have planned so far.


Roof: 48" Pinnacle with LED TD's


Dash: Dual head Predator


Front: Push Bar


Pushbar: 8 head Ultra-Lite


LED HAW's in corner lights


LED HAW's in turn signal housing


Side of Push Bar: Flush Mount Ghost


Side Mirrors: Flush Mount Ghost


REAR


Deck: Predator 3rd brake light cover


LED HAW's in reverse lights


LED Haw's in taillights


Rear of the Pinnacle Lightbar (traffic Director)


I will have the unity spot light and the LED Takedowns for scene lighting and my headlights.


I would like to try a pair of the mighty lites or the 1400 lumen LED scene lights but really dont know where to put them to look right but also be effective.


CHPdogboy I like the idea of the mighty lites on the side mirrors but wouldnt that blind oncoming traffic as my mirrors are pointed outwards?
 
fireman616wfd said:
anyone have any more idea about scene lighting or where i could put them?
Click to expand...

Ditch the predator on the dash and get a FS Viper S2 dual White/White and mount it at the RVM. I know you sell SOS but maybe you can buy/use FS? You have plenty of front warning with the Ultralite 8, HAWs, mirror lights and Pinnacle.
 
Klein said:
Ditch the predator on the dash and get a FS Viper S2 dual White/White and mount it at the RVM. I know you sell SOS but maybe you can buy/use FS? You have plenty of front warning with the Ultralite 8, HAWs, mirror lights and Pinnacle.
Click to expand...


FEDERAL SIGNAL??? :eek: lol kidding....


But why would i do a white/white VIPER S2 light above my RVM?
 
to use a TD. Like I said in my previous post...I said that a dual viper S2 is pretty much the same as the takedowns on a Legend and ILS interior bar. You have plenty of warning to the front but you still said you need scene lighting. That is my best suggestion besides having a remote controlled spot light on the roof.
 
honestly, follow the basics of the new chp whelen bar. take a look at the grille lighting and hlf too


it willbe really effective and it will serve all your needs without decking out wour ride with 100 lights. its really all you need
 
Being that you'll have a drug dog I would assume that you'd be called to assit with the traffic stop ?


Since "cyrcling the wagons" really isint an option I don't think your takedowns behind the stopping officers car will help any...


Plus I've never been a big fan of LED takedowns...guess thats why I ride on the Big Red Trucks.
 
i like slicktops, but to be honest, if I were LEO, i'd choose a lightbar b/c you get great 360 lighting that is very hard to get with a slicktop (without dropping $$$$$$$$ on lights to cover every angle), IMO
 
mike said:
honestly, follow the basics of the new chp whelen bar. take a look at the grille lighting and hlf too

it willbe really effective and it will serve all your needs without decking out wour ride with 100 lights. its really all you need
Click to expand...

Well the lights are there for me to get so im not going to turn them down and light this baby up! :D


I want to make my buddies go :shock: haha
 
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