Richmond Police - odd, sinister-looking car

[n4jri]

As impressed as I am with VCU campus police's Dodge Magnum, the real question mark around here is a dark--most likely black--Crown Vic belonging to Richmond PD with two cans of some kind mounted horizontally on the roof.

It appears to be black, completely plain, and occupied by uniformed officers. Can't tell whether the things on the roof are steerable spotlights, some sort of radar transducers, lasers to scan your license plate for PPtax info, or what. I've only seen it in the 3rd precinct, and only at night--thus never getting a good, close look. Have seen it twice doing traffic stops, and once on another call.

A low-cost alternative to black helicopters? <g>

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[beastieboy101]

I think i know what you are talking about. I saw two of those types of vehicles doing a traffic stop at franklin and laurel in precinct 4 last night.

 

[W4BOZ]

If I'm thinking about the same thing you're thinking about, there's also a green van rolling around with the same setup on top of it. The other day when I saw the van for second or third time, I could have sworn I saw a Parking Enforcement jacket on one of the people driving it.

 

[MOTORHEAD3902]

Hey Allen, Good to hear you!

The cans you saw are cameras (of a sort) for a license plate recognition system. They are aimable, as you mentioned. The second officer in the car operates the system. The job here is to ride up and down the streets, checking parked cars aginst stolen files. We have something similar at the scales where I am stationed. The machine "reads" the license plates and what state they are issued by and, magically, runs them through NCIC for want checks. I saw some cars similarly equipped at SPHQ recently, not sure if they were ours or if we just did some install work...or something.
Interestingly enough, some parties have called into question the constutionality of such en masse plate checks as "unreasonably intrusive"... FWIW.

 

[tglendye]

Hey Allen, Good to hear you!

...Interestingly enough, some parties have called into question the constutionality of such en masse plate checks as "unreasonably intrusive"... FWIW.

Funny you mentioned that part. As I was reading the posts, I was thinking certain groups would be belly-aching about it being too intrusive.

 

[n4jri]

I don't see what objection anyone would have to checking for stolen cars in this way. Of course, in Richmond we've eliminated out city stickers and I could see some possible squealing about that being pursued. Of course, all that's the very purpose of having license plates!

What I found striking was the whole stealth/black helo look of it all. I don't know if what they do requires driving slowly, but I'd be thinking about some bright markings if that's the case!

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[MOTORHEAD3902]

From what I have heard, they have had a HUGE success using the spectre-car over in the Fan area detecting dumped stolen cars. I hadn't heard anything about the success rate in checking for property tax scofflaws. Probably about the same. Easy enought o verify, as now, if the personal property tax ransome isnt paid, DMV wont renew the registration...

 

[ResQguy]

http://alpr.hg2s.com/

 

[KF4ZTO]

there you go.
i've seen a green chevy astro van with amber flashers on it with those things on it driving around VCU's campus a few times...it doesn't look nearly as evil as the crown vic though