Pj Heckman
EF0
Once thing we teach at the academy is situational awareness. Know where you are and what/who is around and routes of escape.
What we cannot teach is common sense.
So when I see the wacker vehicles here and on the road, sometimes you have to wonder what kind of police/fire/EMS/Twister/AAA fantasy and image they are trying to project.
On the emergency services side, in states that allow POV responses (and for that matter those that don’t) we have our share of “over the top” vehicles and we try to internally limit that.
With the Internet/Galls and then eBay of the late 90’s, equipment became more freely available so those who prob shouldn’t have it now have easier access to it.
That being said, we are seeing more unstable people with it and it’s legitimacy of seeing certain vehicles and people is rapidly declining. Remember all the roadside fake cop rapes of the 90’s and early 2000’s? There you go.
There is a new trend we are seeing with all these AAA/Roadside assistance wannbe’s. Kids and adults are lightning up their vehicles with lights and stopping along the roadways to play AAA for disabled vehicles. You can see risk there already.
Even amber lights, behind a clear or colored lens - still projects an image to the general public (for good or for bad intent).
Now, those who want to deck their vehicles out and want to look copish so that people are intimidated to move out of their way - also know that as stated previously - the bad guys who are emboldened today will not be looking at your license plates - stickers or the 99 ham radio saves lives stickers.
they see a crown Vic or other fleet vehicle looking car and will damage and challenge you.
My ride ispersonally owned and used in public safety. I have non-government plates that reflects the fire serivce. Outside of that, it easily looks like a LE low profile vehicle.
When I’m out chasing, I look at where itmay be ending, check the area of town and make apporiate descisions on lodging fuel and food.
Also with credentials I do carry and have appropriate locking devices and/or items removed from the vehicle.
The choice is yours - practice common sense and don’t look and act like a tool - know where you are.
Still waiting for someone to legitly tell me that the 35 traffic arrows on the rear of their Honda Civic made the tornado move around them when the tornado saw the arrow pointing left...
What we cannot teach is common sense.
So when I see the wacker vehicles here and on the road, sometimes you have to wonder what kind of police/fire/EMS/Twister/AAA fantasy and image they are trying to project.
On the emergency services side, in states that allow POV responses (and for that matter those that don’t) we have our share of “over the top” vehicles and we try to internally limit that.
With the Internet/Galls and then eBay of the late 90’s, equipment became more freely available so those who prob shouldn’t have it now have easier access to it.
That being said, we are seeing more unstable people with it and it’s legitimacy of seeing certain vehicles and people is rapidly declining. Remember all the roadside fake cop rapes of the 90’s and early 2000’s? There you go.
There is a new trend we are seeing with all these AAA/Roadside assistance wannbe’s. Kids and adults are lightning up their vehicles with lights and stopping along the roadways to play AAA for disabled vehicles. You can see risk there already.
Even amber lights, behind a clear or colored lens - still projects an image to the general public (for good or for bad intent).
Now, those who want to deck their vehicles out and want to look copish so that people are intimidated to move out of their way - also know that as stated previously - the bad guys who are emboldened today will not be looking at your license plates - stickers or the 99 ham radio saves lives stickers.
they see a crown Vic or other fleet vehicle looking car and will damage and challenge you.
My ride ispersonally owned and used in public safety. I have non-government plates that reflects the fire serivce. Outside of that, it easily looks like a LE low profile vehicle.
When I’m out chasing, I look at where itmay be ending, check the area of town and make apporiate descisions on lodging fuel and food.
Also with credentials I do carry and have appropriate locking devices and/or items removed from the vehicle.
The choice is yours - practice common sense and don’t look and act like a tool - know where you are.
Still waiting for someone to legitly tell me that the 35 traffic arrows on the rear of their Honda Civic made the tornado move around them when the tornado saw the arrow pointing left...
