NYSP New Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles

[x635 4,066]

Interesting name for unmarked cars and excuse for using SUV's in this press briefing.

NYSP New (C )oncealed (I)dentity (T)raffic (E)nforcement vehicles=CITE units.....get it, lol?

....Some of the money will go toward new Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles -- bureaucratese for unmarked sport-utility vehicles that ride high enough that troopers can look inside other vehicles for electronics hidden in drivers’ laps......

FULL ARTICLE: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/unmarked-police-suvs-in-nyc-crack-down-on-distracted-driving-202945960.html

[JM15 386]

They have been using these on 684 for awhile now

[peterose313 345]

Very rarely do I see them driving with a partner so by looking into your vehicle to see what your other hand is doing, they themselves are distracted from their driving. Somehow I can see this causing more mva's involving a mos and it being the fault of the mos for not paying attention to their driving.

[x4093k 654]

I see them all the time with traffic stops all over 684. Based on what I've heard, the cops like them and are staying in disguise..This is just the latest effort to CITE distracted drivers.

Hope they keep serving NYSP well.

[Dinosaur 844]

Very rarely do I see them driving with a partner so by looking into your vehicle to see what your other hand is doing, they themselves are distracted from their driving. Somehow I can see this causing more mva's involving a mos and it being the fault of the mos for not paying attention to their driving.

Gimme a break. They're doing their job!

[peterose313 345]

It's really not difficult at all to spot an unmarked car these days. Buying all new $40,000 vehicles or however much they are at taxpayer expense just so they can sit a couple inches higher is a complete waste of money and one of the dumbest things I've heard of since being apart of this site.

[tartcart358 0]

Troopers partner up from 2300-0700. During the second and third platoon they are solo.

[87D124 37]

I have seen unmarked NYSP Tahoes on Route 17 in Orange County numerous times over the past year or so. These units were all painted "State Police Blue" and looked exactly like the marked Tahoes, but without the lettering and lightbars of course. These units were patrolling and specifically looking for drivers that were texting or talking on the phone. If you are already familiar with the marked cars, you would have no problem spotting an unmarked car from pretty far away.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember that maybe 10-15+ years ago, that he NYSP Brass in Albany made a policy against unmarked Trooper cars pulling vehicles over for traffic violations. I am guessing that this is no longer the policy.

[Just a guy 493]

It's really not difficult at all to spot an unmarked car these days. Buying all new $40,000 vehicles or however much they are at taxpayer expense just so they can sit a couple inches higher is a complete waste of money and one of the dumbest things I've heard of since being apart of this site.

Trust me, people feel that it's ok to pull up to a marked car and talk and text so they aren't going to be on the lookout for unmarked cars.

These cars are purchased from the state contract and the prices to the PD are not as costly as it is to the general public.

Even if they are a few inches higher, they are patrol vehicles and will be used for other purposes, not just traffic enforcement. The NYSP is always obtaining new vehicles and these will just be a little higher.

The increased summons revenue will help pay for many of these vehicle.

Lastly, if this idea is one of the dumbest thing you've heard since being on this site then you obviously don't read some of the posts that carefully.

[lad12derff 283]

I hope this also helps with the aggressive driving that has become the norm on 684.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Very rarely do I see them driving with a partner so by looking into your vehicle to see what your other hand is doing, they themselves are distracted from their driving. Somehow I can see this causing more mva's involving a mos and it being the fault of the mos for not paying attention to their driving.

It's really not difficult at all to spot an unmarked car these days. Buying all new $40,000 vehicles or however much they are at taxpayer expense just so they can sit a couple inches higher is a complete waste of money and one of the dumbest things I've heard of since being apart of this site.

I guess you never let your hands slip from the 10 and 2 positions on the steering wheel and never look over at the car next to you to see if that head of blond hair is a babe or a boar. Oops did you just change the radio station or reach for a coffee cup? That must have caused a horrible crash!

Your condemnation of the police in this effort is off base and undeserved. The cops can drive and look into the car next to them without crashing. I don't think you're going to see any more accidents involving cops because of this.

As for the vehicles, state bid vehicles are way less than 40K. The fact that they're different from regular marked Tahoes was the pitch to the media to get them interested. Really not that big a deal.

People don't pay attention to anything so they're not going to see these Tahoes or marked vehicles or a line of flares or that red light. Drivers suck!

[Biggins415 6]

interesting article but in n y s state police unmarked cars cannot pull over a vehicle and give traffic tickets-- the law was passed a few years ago due to the imposters making traffic stops

[islander 27]

Even if they are a few inches higher, they are patrol vehicles and will be used for other purposes, not just traffic enforcement. The NYSP is always obtaining new vehicles and these will just be a little higher.

Are these unmarked Tahoe's actually made higher or are they the normal police package SUV's that just look higher than the usual SP Tahoe's that are pursuit rated with the lower suspension?

[INIT915 1,119]

interesting article but in n y s state police unmarked cars cannot pull over a vehicle and give traffic tickets-- the law was passed a few years ago due to the imposters making traffic stops

That's entirely incorrect.

[EXDC203 38]

NYSP is going to black....the royal blue they use costs an extra 800 a car. Troop T (Newburgh) currently has 1T-72 in use, A blue unmarked Tahoe. Does anyone know the # of the law stating unmarked cannot be used?

[20y2 43]

It was a Governor's Executive Order that was rescinded years ago.

NYSP is going to black....the royal blue they use costs an extra 800 a car. Troop T (Newburgh) currently has 1T-72 in use, A blue unmarked Tahoe. Does anyone know the # of the law stating unmarked cannot be used?

[Dinosaur 844]

NYSP is going to black....the royal blue they use costs an extra 800 a car. Troop T (Newburgh) currently has 1T-72 in use, A blue unmarked Tahoe. Does anyone know the # of the law stating unmarked cannot be used?

It was never a law. It was just knee jerk policy because of a few incidents of police impersonators using wanna-be cars to stop people.

[INIT915 1,119]

As several posters correctly point out, it was never a law. Merely an internal policy directed by the Governor, that could be (and was) recinded. Even when operating under that policy, there were numerous exceptions.

[Westchester 49]

It's about time law inforcement cracks down on texting while driving, but the car manufactures doesn't help either with all the bells and whistles on the center console. Some expensive cars/suvs have built in T.V, DVD's etc. I see people talking and texting all the time, sometimes right infront of Police. I hope that this law stops all people from not paying attention to the roads

[helicopper 1,050]

As several posters correctly point out, it was never a law. Merely an internal policy directed by the Governor, that could be (and was) recinded. Even when operating under that policy, there were numerous exceptions.

And it only applied to the State Police. Local agencies could continue to operate unmarked vehicles at their agency's discretion.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Its kind of the same logic that Connecticut applies to their entire State Police fleet. No markings somehow makes you incognito, except for the giant pushbar, and unique license plate suffixes, cruise lights with light up "STATE POLICE" in the middle of your lightbar, etc.

Unless you're from WAY out of state or pulled over by the non-descript Traffic Squad cars, there is literally no reason you should ever be caught off guard by CSP's unmarked cars. Now, there's a few "reasons" people argue as to why CSP has unmarked cars: Some argue its related to resale value, some argue Troopers don't want their take-home vehicles marked (Yes, every CT State Trooper has a take-home vehicle.) Use your own judgement there, I see pros and cons to both.

Unmarked cars only work on the terribly unobservant among our population. That said, they should work perfectly against the people NYSP is looking to catch.

Also, I must ask, does ANYONE have a phone without a speaker nowadays? Is that even a thing anymore? Why do I still see people talking with iPhone headphones and/or holding their phone next to their heads?

[JetPhoto 626]

As for the vehicles, state bid vehicles are way less than 40K. The fact that they're different from regular marked Tahoes was the pitch to the media to get them interested. Really not that big a deal.

Actually 40K is pretty close, base vehicle about 30k now add lights, sirens, computer and other common things found in police vehicles it would add up close to 40K regardless if state works did the install or not.

[hawkbase 21]

I wish NYSP good luck with their unmarked Tahoes, anything to help stop the flood of stupidity....Tappan Zee Bridge anyone! Far too many inattentive drivers out their and I am not excluding myself!

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

It was never a law. It was just knee jerk policy because of a few incidents of police impersonators using wanna-be cars to stop people.

After all the rash of police impersonators in Westchester, how does a civilian balance the fear of being pulled over by a police impersonator while also complying with an attempted traffic stop by a PO?

[Just a guy 493]

After all the rash of police impersonators in Westchester, how does a civilian balance the fear of being pulled over by a police impersonator while also complying with an attempted traffic stop by a PO?

Civilians need to use their heads first and foremost.

The one thing that people need to realize is that there are very few if any unmarked cars that still use cherry lights, most unmarked cars light up like christmas trees when you throw the lights on.

I have worked plain clothes for the last 7 years and all of our unmarked cars, even the good cars are well lit so if a car tries to stop you with a single light that looks shady, they should call 911 and tell them their concern while continuing to drive to a well populated, well lit area.

That is of course not to say that an impersonator wouldn't or couldn't go to great lengths to hook a car up to look legit but it is pretty unlikely.

The public also needs to be aware of light colors, if someone is trying to pull you over with a single amber, green or blue light, thats not the cops.

The flip side of this is that a perp can easily try to employ this argument while destroying evidence while he " drives to a well populated area because he is concerned with his safety." As with many things in law enforcement, there is a huge gray area here.

In regards to this clown that has been arrest 3 or 4 times now for impersonating a cop, if someone tries to flash a badge at you ( and a fugazy looking badge at that) and tells you to pull over with no lights and no sirens and you do, you are out of your mind.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

The flip side of this is that a perp can easily try to employ this argument while destroying evidence while he " drives to a well populated area because he is concerned with his safety." As with many things in law enforcement, there is a huge gray area here.

So what is your recourse then?

[mike2931 13]

CSP also has a large portion of their fleet as unmarked with out light bars and push bars. I work for a PD in northern CT and work very closely with CSP on I91. A lot of the CSP fleet now have unmarked black chargers with the 396 ( very fast) They also have unmarked Expeditions and Durangos. Most of the "patrol" guys have the crown vics with detachable light bars, which a majority of them take off because they are allowed to take their cruisers home and use on personal time. Since the crown vics are no longer in production they are using the chargers and taurus now. My departments fleet is all crown vics, Traffic Unit has expeditions, and DB uses unmarked taurus's. In the very near future the patrol fleet is going with the Interceptor SUV when the rest of our crown vic fleet expires. We have 8-10 interceptor SUVs on order which should arrive mid august, we will also have a few of them that will be totally unmarked, and a different color than the rest of our fleet.

Honestly some people don't even pay attention to marked or unmarked. I can tell you that I've pulled up next to other cars on the road with a clearly marked police cruiser with people chatting away holding their phones to their ears, look over at us and continue on like we aren't even there. Clearly now with people not being able to maintain their lane it's most likely a DUI or someone texting away or playing on an iPad/tablet.

[Biggins415 6]

That's entirely incorrect.

i must have been mistaken-- from what i understood state police couldnt pull anyone over for a traffic infraction unless it was a marked car

[Biggins415 6]

And it only applied to the State Police. Local agencies could continue to operate unmarked vehicles at their agency's discretion.

thats exactly what i heard it was on;y applied to state police--heard that from a few local police officers

[Just a guy 493]

So what is your recourse then?

A suspect who is trying to destroy evidence would 9 times out of 10 not call 911 to say hes scared and is driving to a well lit area. An honest civilian on the otherhand would be more likely to call 911 and explain whats happening.

In these gray areas It would be up to the cop and his gut feeling if it would be appropriate to charge any of the following :

270.25 Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree.

A person is guilty of unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor

vehicle in the third degree when, knowing that he or she has been

directed to stop his or her motor vehicle by a uniformed police officer

or a marked police vehicle by the activation of either the lights or the

lights and siren of such vehicle, he or she thereafter attempts to flee

such officer or such vehicle by driving at speeds which equal or exceed

twenty-five miles per hour above the speed limit or engaging in reckless

driving as defined by section twelve hundred twelve of the vehicle and

traffic law.

Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree

is a class A misdemeanor.

S 270.30 Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the second degree.

A person is guilty of unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor

vehicle in the second degree when he or she commits the offense of

unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third

degree, as defined in section 270.25 of this article, and as a result of

such conduct a police officer or a third person suffers serious physical

injury.

Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the second degree

is a class E felony.

S 270.35 Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the first degree.

A person is guilty of unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor

vehicle in the first degree when he or she commits the offense of

unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third

degree, as defined in section 270.25 of this article, and as a result of

such conduct a police officer or a third person is killed.

Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the first degree

is a class D felony.

The interesting part of these laws is that it has to be a uniformed officer or a marked radio car, so true unmarked cars are out but slick tops that are marked are good to go.