Blue Lights On PD Vehicles

[Guest ksneubec]

I see that WCPD still uses Blue lights . . . . I guess they can't claim that they still use blue lights because they don't have the funds for new lens covers for the old light bars when they are ordering new cars with blue lights. Did that legislation ever go through which would allow for PDs to use blue lights?

[Guest irishfire]

are blue lights even allowed on police cars in westchester i thought that was just for fire dept.??????

[EJS1810 7]

NYS passed a law about two years ago giving exclusive use of blue lights to Volunteer Firefighters. Since then many Police Departments in the area have continued to use blue lights in violation of the law. They are now trying to get legislation passed to allow police cars to use blue lights in secondary lighting. The light bar on the new WCPD car is 100% illegal.

If I may borrow a quote that my boss Putnam County Sheriff Donald B Smith used in his election campaign, "Those that enforce the law should obey the law"

[Guest irishfire]

i agree with you one 100% it is not just that car there are alot of police cars that use the blue light to pull people over they have blue lights on many of police cars

[x635 4,066]

First off, the new graphic design is HOT!!! I really like it!

The lightbar, I forget what make/model it is.....its "Star" something for the manufacturer.

As for the blue light issue, whats the big deal if the cops have it? In my opinion, it only benefits volunteers.....the public will reconize/identify it with a PD light and be more likely to pull over.

As for the "we want people to reconize us as volunteers" goes, do you think motorists in the WC even care anymore nowadays.

In addition, I would like for the WCPD officers, many of which are my friends, to have that added visibilty that comes with a red/blue combination....especially while operating on the poorly designed and maintained roadway deathtraps they call the Saw Mill, Hutch, Cross County etc. Anything that would make it safers for these guys I'm all for. Again, my opinion, there are lots of laws in this business that aren't enforced......this is not one people shoul be worried about. After all, if we're gonna follow the state laws to the letter, then technically we need CDL's when operating fire apparatus for a non emergency function, such as returning from a call. And how many volunteers actually follow the blue light lawas it reads?

Personally, with all the traffic and liability issues, I'm not even too big a believer in the whole blue light system as it currently stands.

[Truck4 48]

What's the difference? Lights are lights- if you see them behind you, get out of the way.

[TRUCK6018 50]

What's the difference? Lights are lights- if you see them behind you, get out of the way.

The difference is, if you get pulled over on a V & T stop by a police cruiser with blue lights, you can beat the ticket.

By police displaying blue it is illegal (unless PAPD or a federal agency). Being there is illegal equipment being used on a V & T stop, the ticket can be fought. This will also go for those police agencies still doing traffic stops with unmarked cars.

[Truck4 48]

That's a good one, are you also selling bridges?

[Guest ksneubec]

I agree with the voices out there that support blue lights on police vehicles. I think that the more exposure there is out there, the better response we will get from the public when we pull up behind them with the light on. I am in CT now, and police, apparatus, chiefs, etc all have combinations of blue and red, which helps out the volleys with just blue. People actually stop for us in CT. Although last night one guy pulled over into the firehouse driveway because he thought I was cop when I came up behind him and followed him onto the ramp.

Good or bad? I will leave that one up to personal interpetation.

[Guest irishfire]

the bad side for the cops is that if they see the blue light on the cop car and the people will not pull over do to they think that is a firefighter o well!!!

and you are right it only helps us firefighter !!!

[Mofire24 27]

Hey guys this does help us if you sit and think about it people will see the blue lights on the police car when we respond to calls with our lights on they will pullover faster. 2nd i am a police dispatcher the blue does help people see the police car during the day but also at night at accidents and such there have been many police cars hit this year and if the blue lights on the police car prevents one cruiser from getting hit and keeping a cop safe i am for it if you see around the state on the sp cars there are blue lights in the rear windows aswell as on the rear of the light bar so before you go off complaining think about it!

[Remember585 815]

Red, Clear, Blue, Amber.....Its all the same.

Everyone states that one color is better then the other when it comes to visibility issues and safety concerns.

I disagree all the way.

Lighting up your scene, whether a fire, MVA or V&T stop, with FLOOD / SCENE Lights gives you a better chance of being seen.

I know PD units don't have the capabilities to really illuminate their vehicle stops, but those of us in FD and EMS DO!!!

Warning lights - especially rear facing strobes that are clear - are more dangerous then beneficial. I still think that if you have enough flood/scene lights then you should only use them and turn off the flashing, driver attracting warning lights.

And - not to get too far off subject - the new WCPD design is much better - and I for one could care less what color warning lights it has.

[Guest x901]

i find it really amazing that a good portion of you have a high regard for the average citizen. Yes, you & i know what the colored lights all mean. however... walk up to some stranger on the street and ask them & they won't know. Most people see a car w flashing lights and sirens and pull over bc they think it is the police. Chances are the people who are crying about PD having blue lights have more than one blue light on their POVs and people still don't pull over for them. So what about there being a law about blue lights, take a look around the region and see who has blue lights.... NYSP, WCPD, Yonkers PD, Yonkers FD, Empress EMS (okay only one bus but still) MEMS, VMFD, some NYPD cruisers, some rare FDNY units, alot of local PD agencies. And you wanna know something? people don't think that its a vol. FF behind them, people see a police car, a fire truck or an ambulance! if people are pulling over for real emergency vehicles thats a start, if they yield for the Vollies even better for you. if a blue light is all it's going to take to be seen on the highway well you know what? then blue lights are going onto my units.

[Guest irishfire]

As truck6018 said

(The difference is, if you get pulled over on a V & T stop by a police cruiser with blue lights, you can beat the ticket.

By police displaying blue it is illegal (unless PAPD or a federal agency). Being there is illegal equipment being used on a V & T stop, the ticket can be fought. )

------------------------------------------------------------------------

So i am getting the idea that vol Firefighter with ther own cars sould use red lights blue light and siren cause when the cop pulls you over with the blue light it can be fought

NOt a bad idea!! lets see how the police would like that!

i bet you that they will not like it

[Guest WolfEMT]

Put it this way...

Let's just say that I went out and bought a PD surplus Crown Vic and outfitted it with a blue light for the legitimate purpose of responding to EMS calls in NJ. Now let's just say that I go out and buy the same PD surplus Crown Vic and outfit it with a blue light for the illegitimate purpose of pulling over cars and preying on unsuspecting motorists.

In the first case, my vehicle is totally legal. In the second case, my vehicle is not. Since the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law specifically states that blue lights are for volunteer purposes only, and not for law enforcement use, any officer who drives a vehicle that utilizes such equipment that is by definition illegal, cannot in good faith write a vehicle and traffic summons that will be upheld in court. It is similar to writing a ticket that is incorrect on its face; if the ticket is incorrect on its face, then it is * and void.

[Alfons0x66 0]

just to point out as some one said earlier, the people complaining are the ones with too many lights anyway. The law states you should have one flashing (non-strobing) blue light facing foward, not to exceed x amount of wattage. if you break the cops balls about their blue lights, everyone that owns a strobe light such as a dashmaster/miser or any new led light that is led stage 2 or more, or any type of strobe pack has an illegal light and is also breaking the law. Does anyone realize what kind of a war taking blue lights off of police cars would start?

[TR54 239]

Does anyone realize what kind of a war taking blue lights off of police cars would start?

Why should a war start ? PD must follow law !

In Greenburgh a few patrol cars had Blue lenses on the new strobe light bars. The GPD police Chief saw that and ordered them removed and replaced with a different color.

As far as getting out of a ticket because the car that stopped you had a blue colored light ,,, I think a judge would laugh at you.

The Sworn officer issued the summons not the car!

[TRUCK6018 50]

As far as getting out of a ticket because the car that stopped you had a blue colored light ,,, I think a judge would laugh at you.

The Sworn officer issued the summons not the car!

Yeah huh? 8)

The equiptment used in stops also comes into play.

Example: Radars must be calibrated. Unmarked cars are illegal to make traffic stops (they can run radar but can not physically stop speeders).

In examples where an officer makes a stop other than the one running the gun, he's making a stop on here say! If you ask for a supporting deposition, they both must write one up.

[Guest WolfEMT]

As far as getting out of a ticket because the car that stopped you had a blue colored light ,,, I think a judge would laugh at you.  

The Sworn officer issued the summons not the car!

For like $200, I can go to any uniform store and get a police uniform. Using my hypothetical from above (PD surplus Crown Vic with a blue light), there is practically no way of discerning myself from an actual sworn officer on the side of the road after an MV stop.

[Guest]

Remember that it's only a courtesy light anyway. It's not worth getting bent out of shape over. Peple are either going to pull over or they aren't, regardless of what color light you have. As for PD? Does it really matter? The average person isn't having a discussion about the colors in the lightbar while they are being pulled over, or that they might be able to beat the ticket. Cops need to stay visable, and thats more important than how many people you or I can get to pull over going to our own calls on our own time. If it is illegal then they shouldn't outfit the cars with the blue lens, end of story. But then again, the better thread might be how embaressing it is, to some, to see a volly with an absurd strobe package in their personal car. I am not anti blue light by any means. But I do think there is a reason that volunteer firefighters are premitted to have one, low wattage, rotating, forward facing light. Not some of these monstrosities I've seen on personal vehicles. There is an inherent danger that comes with giving people lights on their cars. I'm not a hypocrite as I've done the 90mph boogey down the Taconic a few times. When the guys forget that volleys with lights on their cars (not acting in the capacity of a chief officer or driving a department apparatus), responding to calls in their personal vehicles, are not entitled to drive like an emergency vehicle, no matter how many lights you put on your beat up crown vic.

(I'm laughing as I'm editing this...) How many people have driven like a maniac going to a call, passed a whole bunch of people who ACTUALLY pulled over for you, only to get stuck in front of them at the next red light.

[DMA327 12]

Why get pissed off everybody... The more police cars with blue lights, the more people who are going to be confused and pull over for a firemen thinking it's a cop! :wink:

And I've def. been the A$$*ole at the red light many of times!

LOL

[EJS1810 7]

Everyone here keeps thinking that Police with blue lights will help the fire service. What will happen is that the right to display blue lights will end. NYS law says Emergency Vehiles can have red lights.. If they give the blue light to the police, we will lose our lights.

[Guest]

daknob... the law was revised in 2000 or 2001. No more low voltage, forward, 360', nothing about grill, roof, dash, yada yada...

You can have (1) blue light that's all.

NYS VTL Section 375 - 41.4 Blue Light

[Guest]

Posted on the EMTBravo site is the pic of Westchester County Department of Public Safety's new look.

I actually saw one of the new cars up close and in person.

I must say I like the Chevy Impala's. They are a lot smaller than the Ford Crown Vics but a lot safer.

I don't care at all for the new design. First the stripe down the side of the car looks horrible. It kinda reminds me of Nassau County Police only much worse. I think the old design you see on most cars on the road looks excellent! That's a lot of money wasted because a new commissioner want's a new look.

Blue Lights? WCPD started with a blue rotator to test the water now they got brave and went to a full Red/Blue lightbar? I guess the County of Westchester has total disregard for the New York State Attorney General's ruling. Currently police departments in New York cannot use any form of blue lights. I am aware of several police depts' who do and they have total disregard for the

NYS LAW!

What happens when a motorist T-bones a WCPD car on the passenger side at 2AM and they say "I had a green light, I didn't know it was a police car, I saw blue lights."

In the State of New York "Emergency Vehicles" are recognized by

RED LIGHTS, Not Blue!

Now for all that will blast me with responses to my blue light comments listen to me. I have been driving emergency vehicles for over 10 years. As far as officer safety I think blue is best next to amber. I fully support the efforts for law enforcement to use a combo of red, clear, amber, and blue. Whatever it takes to protect them on the road safety wise.

I do however like to follow THE LAW!

[HCFRFF 0]

Im a former vollie from the peekskill area and now a fireman in Myrtle Beach SC. The vollies here run red lights and sierns to every call ( not just the chiefs but EVERYBODY does). The lights have to be seen 360 degrees. They are not allowed to run blue lights. All police agencys run BLUE lights. just alittle info from the south! A green light down here means command post which i have yet to see done. Ambulance corps are called rescue squads. Think it would be easier if there was a national standard set for who can run what kinda lights ?

[Guest WolfEMT]

What happens when a motorist T-bones a WCPD car on the passenger side at 2AM and they say "I had a green light, I didn't know it was a police car, I saw blue lights."  

In the State of New York "Emergency Vehicles" are recognized by  

RED LIGHTS, Not Blue!

Exactly! And like I was trying to convey in my hypothetical, just because cops are cops, it doesn't make them above the law. Any kind of inconsistency, such as using blue lights on "Emergency Vehicles," is grounds for an affirmative defense in traffic court.

[TR54 239]

Good Point !

The county is really opened up to libility problems in a case of an Accident involving a WCP vehicle with Blue lights. If a lawer gets hold of the fact that the motorist saw blue and belived the car was not a Police car ,,,, Oh boy $$!Pay Day.

[Guest ksneubec]

The vollies here run red lights and sierns to every call ( not just the chiefs but EVERYBODY does). The lights have to be seen 360 degrees. They are not allowed to run blue lights. All police agencys run BLUE lights. just alittle info from the south! A green light down here  means command post which i have yet to see done. Ambulance corps are called rescue squads. Think it would be easier if there was a national standard set for who can run what kinda lights ?

Mass. and several other New England states are like that as well. I think it works better. No questions over what color light is allowed to do what, etc. Red means emergency response, pull over for it. Blue means police, pull over. That's it, very simple.

A lot of the issues with people abusing lights could be handled by enforcing the power of the Chief. If you abuse the privledge or running a light, no matter what color it is, than you should lose the right to use it.

[RWC130 594]

The law states you should have one flashing (non-strobing) blue light facing foward, not to exceed x amount of wattage.

Those of you not familiar the NYS V&T Law Section 375 "Blue Lights"

it was revised in 2001. No limitations on blue strobes, where the light is facing, or how many candlepower it has, however it does still limit you to one blue light.

Out of the NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law:

New York State

Vehicle & Traffic Law

Section 375 41.4

Blue Light

One blue light may be affixed to any motor vehicle owned by a volunteer

member of a fire department or on a motor vehicle owned by a member of

such person’s family residing in the same household or by a business

enterprise in which such person has a proprietary interest or by which he is

employed, provided such volunteer fireman has been authorized in writing

to so affix a blue light by the chief of the fire department or company of

which he is a member, which authorization shall be the subject to revocation

at any time by the chief who issued the same or his successor in office.

Such blue light may be displayed by such volunteer fireman on such vehicle

only when engaged in an emergency operation.

Revised 2001

[Guest VFDJrSqd02]

This will also go for those police agencies still doing traffic stops with unmarked cars.

This is not true... the use of umarked cars is legal for V & T's. The state and county PD dont use them by choice. IT is less visable for oncoming cars. But they are allowed to us unmarked vehicals if they want.