The Worst Police vehicles thread.
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Sarge619
Member
My former PD went from this scheme on our Chargers, to this scheme on the new Interceptor Utility. My last graphics design was on the Dodges. From what I've been told, "The Boss" came up the new scheme, and had the dealership apply it as opposed to the graphics artist we had dealt with for years. The sergeant at least got some input on elements that were good.... "ghost" chevrons on the rear bumper and roof numbers (which I had tried to get for years but was told they weren't necessary). Both pictures courtesy of A.W. Size
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lafd55
Member
So what makes this a bad vehicle? Looks pretty good to me....Sarge619 said:My former PD went from this scheme on our Chargers, to this scheme on the new Interceptor Utility. My last graphics design was on the Dodges. From what I've been told, "The Boss" () dreamed up the new scheme, and had the dealership apply it as opposed to the graphics artist we had dealt with for years. The sergeant at least got some input on elements that were good.... "ghost" chevrons on the rear bumper and roof numbers (which I had tried to get for years but was told they weren't necessary). Both pictures courtesy of A.W. Size
Sarge619
Member
lafd55 said:
Cheesy, poorly-applied lettering (especially when viewed up close); silver paint on the hood and only part of the roof (apparently an attempt to have commonalities with the Dodges. All the sedans in the fleet are solid silver. The dealership told them they would have to buy a black Interceptor or wait "several months" to get a silver one - apparently, they had multiple black ones on the lot and wanted to get rid of them - yet other area departments were able to get the color of their choice from the same dealer); no real flow to the design, everything looks like an afterthought; The overall quality of the application of graphics is mediocre (not really evident in the photo).
While I do like the black Interceptor, I would have put a lot more thought into a scheme that compliments the vehicle better as well as providing safety/visibility (although the black Scotchlite beneath the lettering does help and the "ghost" chevrons on the back that the sergeant managed to get added certainly do look and work well) perhaps even a "photo-negative" of the Chargers (which is what the sergeant was originally hoping for. It would look OK as both the department's SUV's are black - although the other one while sporting a lightbar, pushbar, etc. has no markings at all - specifically have all the sedans with dark grey graphic fading to light grey front to rear on silver paint and the SUV's silver graphics darkening to black from front to rear on black paint. That would've actually looked cool IMHO and added fteet cohesiveness as the silver Chargers aren't going anywhere soon, and reportedly the next purchase will be another Interceptor Utility. One theory I was told by a member was that they spent too much painting the hood and partial roof silver that they didn't have the $$ left to have our regular graphics guy "dress" the car. I personally would've opted for an all-black vehicle with more professional graphics than waste the $$ on a partial silver paint job). Also, I would've much rather seen the black steel wheels and center caps as opposed to those awful plastic wheelcovers.
It may not qualify as a "worst" in the totality of the police car world, but IMHO it is certainly not the best looking scheme the department has had in it's history (and I'm talking from the late 60's when the town purchased the first "department-owned" police vehicle. Prior to that, you drove your own!).
Is it hideous? No. But the general concensus is that they could've done much better. I will, of course admit I'm biased! :yes:
One of the things you can't see in the top pic is how the striping on the Charger fades from 85% black to 15% (almost matching the body color) yet the entire graphic is printed on Scotchlite so there is no loss of reflected light. The pic below demonstrates how the stripe and lettering have fade effects, as well as the quality of the graphics shop's work (not being cranked out several a day like the dealership).
As they say, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"... you're feelin' it and I'm not.
(photo courtesy A.W. Size)
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lafd55
Member
New York State Dept. of Corrections Unit 99-5371. Single Red Halogen minibar on roof and nothing else.
Looks like the sort of vehicle that really doesn't need any light at all, it's probably never been used, even as old as the truck is.
lafd55
Member
SomeBloke
Member
lafd55
Member
SomeBloke
Member
No, clearly this spotlight won't give away the unmarked police vehicle...
Someone couldn't use 1 font, really?
Someone couldn't use 1 font, really?
lafd55
Member
SomeBloke
Member
lafd55 said:
It just looks weird that an unmarked vehicle casually sticks a spotlight on it and expects no one to notice.
lafd55 said:New York State Dept. of Corrections Unit 99-5371. Single Red Halogen minibar on roof and nothing else.
I dont remember that specific truck from the Albany academy, but its typical of DOCS. It's probably utilized by Albany CERT or another part of Support services based at the academy. Every facility I've been at has trucks like that, however this is the first I've seen with a red light. Normally those trucks are used for normal duties, garbage collection, etc.
Every facility does have a Chevy van used for a "Chase vehicle" for when an inmate is taken to the hospital via ambulance. They are outfitted with a red streethawk and a federal ms4000 siren. The facilities also have at least one perimeter patrol vehicle, and when I started back in '07 they had a perm mounted red rotator beacon, similar to what michigan state police used, and usually no siren. Couple years after that, they began switching those lights over to amber, and have now gone to no lighting at all in the perimeter trucks.
Just a FYI, any vehicle owned by the state, for official use, the plate number has the year of the vehicle as the first two digits, so in the case of this truck, '99. Oldest vehicle we have at my facility is an old 1978 ford stakeside used for compost and garbage.
lafd55
Member
I have transported a few inmates from Coxsackie and they just followed with a regular transport van and a guard riding shotgun in the bus.emt322636 said:
lafd55 said:
Interesting, possibly they didn't have a chase van available or was out of service.
HILO
Member
brianmcfa said:
That is a clown car in Europe, not an actual Police car. The bullet hole stickers are clown car all day, and the rear fog lights are the deciding factor about European origin.
If the owner was smart, he would have taken his marble head mist metallic Park Ave (can you tell I owned a 1995 in that color?), put par 36 halogen lights on the front bumper, and rear deck, the Newman County Sheriff star on the door, and had a TV show cop car.
So I do not think this clown car belongs in the worst Police vehicles thread, it is a whacker/screwed up instal candidate!
A Buick Park Ave would have made a terrible patrol or traffic car. The engine is good, 3.8 V6, but the suspension was way to soft for any real use. I smacked my oil pan running down a dirt road that my previous Bonneville (same H body and engine, better suspension) made it down many times.
HILO said:
Oh how I wish that were actually true. I have personally seen at least one in service patrol car with these bullet hole stickers and they weren't something that someone snuck onto it either. Silver Creek, Nebraska is where it was from.
HILO said:
The rest of it... well my bad. I didn't translate the page and I'm on a small screen laptop so I didn't realize that's what they were until you pointed it out, I just saw the image although I know of a couple agencies that did use '90s Buicks as marked patrol cars. I think I posted them already though.
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exphillycop
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SomeBloke
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SireLite
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dmathieu
Lifetime VIP Donor
SomeBloke
Member
SireLite said:
You may be interested to know I'll be back in Blighty from Dec 9th - Jan 15th. Much emergency vehicle "spotting" shall be done! Mainly because I'll be in Manchester or Weymouth.
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SireLite
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dmathieu
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RyanZ71
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Just when I thought a Hyundai couldn't get any uglier as they already come ugly as shit from the factory. :hahano:
LRGJr72
Member
RES347CUE
Member
