[Cssa-L] Understanding “unmarked police cars”

[Calvin Sun]

大家好，

This note discusses the practice, by police departments in the United
States, of using “unmarked cars.”  I am sorry, but I cannot find a
translation for this phrase.  I tried some terms of my own, but my friends
laughed when they read it, so I think these terms are wrong lol:  “隐秘警车
“ and “秘密的警车.“  

In any event, an unmarked police car looks like any other car, for example
one that you or I would drive.  That is, such a car, even though driven by a
police officer, will not have any special exterior light fixtures, colors or
markings.  In particular, it will not have the word “police” written on
the car.  

This practice is important to you in two respects.  First, of course, you
should be careful at all times when driving, because the “ordinary” car in
your vicinity might be a police car, and that car could stop you if you are
breaking any traffic laws.  In such a case, depending on the violation and
other factors, you possibly might have immigration issues as a result.

Second, for your own safety, you should know how to tell that such a car is
really a police car, not an impostor, 就是，假警察，驾警车.  The things I am
about to mention are true for many police departments, but not necessarily
all departments, and not necessarily for the police department that serves
the area where you are.  Police departments can have different policies if
they are in different states, or even if they are within the same state or
the same county (or parish, in Louisiana).

With regard to the use of unmarked cars, many departments have the following
policies:

-          The officer most likely will be in full uniform.

-          The department might use such cars only during daylight, not at
night

-          The department might deliberately NOT use such cars for traffic
stops. I have heard that the Los Angeles Police Department follows this
policy, but have not confirmed it.  However, local police in the
Philadelphia area DO make traffic stops using unmarked cars.

-          An unmarked police car will most likely have MANY lights, mounted
inside the car, and usually red, blue and white.  In addition, the
headlights might be designed to blink alternately.  In other words, the car
probably will not have only one single flashing light, but probably instead
will look like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lol.
www.rockefellercenter.com/tour-and-explore/the-tree-at-rockefeller-center/ 

I hope this information helps.

Calvin Sun

610-296-3947

csun at calvinsun.com

www.calvinsun.com

箴言17:15

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