Light Systems for Patrol Cars

[slolightbar]

I'm doing some research on light systems for marked police units. What does your PD cars have on them? Also what kinds of radios, audible systems, and other gear do you have in your vehicle? Thanx a bunch!

[DARECOP]

Our department uses the Streethawk lightbar. Its basic, cheap, and has a few options. It is very bright and I think overall a good lightbar for the money. The state patrol is using a code 3 excalibur. These are a little more expensive but they really light it up.

Originally posted by slolightbar:
I'm doing some research on light systems for marked police units. What does your PD cars have on them? Also what kinds of radios, audible systems, and other gear do you have in your vehicle? Thanx a bunch!

[FLLawdog]

Whelen Edge(blue), with alleys, takedowns, pircer and traffic advisor. 100 watt speaker behind the grille. Soon to come...at least 12 more strobes around the car....brighter is better http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif.

As far as other equipment...that would take a whole other page!

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FLLawdog
"Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

[slolightbar]

FLLawdog:

If you have the time, please list it! I am possily going to be doing some outfitting for a local PD, for their ENTIRE CAR! So I need all the help I can get.

All others: Thanx a lot and keep them coming!
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[movista]

We use a low-proflie strobe bar. Works very well at night but it is quite hard to see during the day. The alleys and take-downs are pretty much worthless. They have the frosted-looking lenses...I have no idea who thought of that one, but it are wetarded! The lightbar looks sharp, but what good is form without function in this line of work?? I believe the rotating halogens are the very best choice. (with clear ally/takedowns)

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Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice.

[FLLawdog]

Slolight...I'll drop you an e-mail on that.

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FLLawdog
"Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

[Sparky]

Personally, I like the rotators. I think you can see them better due to more "on time". Strobes are good attention getters at night, but they don't mark the cars position as well. A good combination that I would like to see is rotators plus a couple of strobes front and rear. either on the bar..or in the backup lamps and on the grill.

I hav heard, and it seems to prove true, that Blue is the LEAST visible color. Red is most visible of all at night, and amber is most visible during the day.

If I were Chief and could do what I wanted...

Vector lightbar with amber on the outside pods, then blue, then red, then the center would be blue. No alley or take downs, I've hardly EVER used those myself.

A blue and red strobe on rear deck, and a blue and red strobe on a push bumper. Wig wags in the head lights.

Siren should be mounted on a push bumper. This keeps the sound getting muffled from inside the engine compartment, and you don't want it on the roof as it makes it almost impossible for the driver to hear anything when it is on. (like the radio) If you use ann external siren, you don't have to worry about changing models when the car model changes to accomodate for different engines and internal space.

One plus for mounting siren on the lightbar is that it does travel over traffic a little better....but it is REALLY hard for the driver to hear anything. IMHO.

Interior equipment. Shotgun mount with a switch release. Radio. Maybe a scanner. Siren control. PA with radio broadcast. And a GOOD BEVERAGE HOLDER!!! Full cage with side coverage. Plastic rear seat inserts (for those messy prisoner transports).

Most lightbar companies will modify their lightbars to some extent for you and they will also let you try them out for awhile. You could probably outfit a few cars with different lightbars and test them out in different conditions (day, dusk, dark) and see what you think is best.

OH!...one more advantage to rotators...you don't have to buy those expensive power supplies to power the strobes!! Plus they tend to catch on fire sometimes!!

Hope this two cents worth helped. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

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-Sparky

[movista]

Sparky: FYI, but you may know already, Red and blue lights were selected because red is the most visible light during the night and blue during the day. (That's what I read, anyway)

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Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice.

[Niteshift]

My car is a slick top, but we just bought Whelan Edge light bars with our new cars. Some of our cars have lightbars from SVP (junk), and some Code 3's (ok). We finally put the last of the Streethawks to rest. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Don]

Just a heads up to you guys who use strobe lights. At night, if you have a medivac chopper landing, the strobes can really mess up the pilot.

If you have a bird coming in remember to kill your strobes.

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"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining". . . Judge Judy
6P1 (retired)

[sub-inspector]

Hope I am not being a spoil sport. But what are strobes. I have seen the US Police cars using various forms of light bars, but could'nt see a strobe.

In the NYPD I have seen light bars which have a reflector revolving around a halogen bulb. In some other places, I have seen bright lights just flashing here and there on the light bar. Which is more common.

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Sub-Inspector of Police
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Blessed be the Peace-Makers,
for they are Gods Children
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[movista]

Sub:
Strobes are the blinky lights....non-halogen bulbs. Best I can tell, halogens/rotators are more common. Strobes cost quite a bit more, but they are still becoming increasingly popular.

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Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice.

[FLLawdog]

The ultimate, though, are LED's. The downfall...$$$$$$.

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FLLawdog
"Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

[Niteshift]

Could anyone explain to me why blue and clear LED's are about twice the price of red or amber ones? I want to try the LED's, but at least half of the light will have to be blue, so the price jumps. Maybe one of your Mr. Wizard types can explain the difference to me.

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Sparky]

movista: I've heard conflicting stuff on the visibility of the various colors. One day I'll find an actual study. I've been looking on the net since the other day, but I haven't found it yet.

Nite: the increased price is due to the same thing that makes fire equipment more expensive, but for police.

Take a standard axe....costs $35. Put the words "fire axe" on it and it now costs $55.

safety light.....$75.....blue for police....now it's $150.

we're in the wrong line of work, huh??


ADDENDUM: Anybody that has any info from a "scientific study" or something about different colors being more or less visible at night or during the day..please post it. I'd like to find out for sure because I have heard so many differing acounts that I want to know the real deal. thanks!

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-Sparky

[Niteshift]

It's not that I don't believe ya Sparky.... but there are states, like NJ where the cops are red lights. Here, blue is the LE only color. Why the diff?

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[slolightbar]

Sparky:

You are partially right in the cost of LED's, but also, Blue LED's cost much more to manufacture, (I beleive it is something with the dye). I think manufactures are getting away with it, because I KNOW it doesnt cost double to make blue! http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif C'mon people, keep the light configurations coming!!

[720]

To clear up the color debate...

Red has been studied and sited as the best color for day. And blue is the best for night, due to the fact that it stands out more so from tail lights and if you notice the color hue of red, it tends to blend into darkness more.

While amber, pretty much shows all the time and is a very good warning signal. Here in Oklahoma, Tulsa P.D. did a study a long time ago and actually found green to be the best seen color of them all...just something to ponder.

[Ksfuzz]

My department uses the MX-7000 halogen lightbar. We intermix the rotator colors starting with red, then blue, center is white, then red, then blue. I originally came from a state where law enforcement was blue only, and don't understand where studies show red is more visible in the daytime, because when I see the lights flashing, blue is much brighter and more able to be seen than the red, in day or light. Maybe I'm just weird! I also liked having a distinction between police and emergency services (fire, ems).

[FLLawdog]

Patrol...Deputies get an all blue Whelen Edge and wig wags. Supervisors get a slick top, 6 corner strobes, dash kings above the rear view mirror and rear deck, and Whelen mirror beams. Supervisors can opt for the lightbar in lieu of the hidden strobes and have the option of a screen.

LED's...ya gotta love that Whelen all LED Edge bar! All $10K worth of it!

Visibility...they say that strobes are better in daylight and rotators at night, but I haven't seen the difference. The big thing is clear. Wig wags and clear strobes REALLY get attention.

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FLLawdog
"Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

[Sparky]

I think in New York, the cops have red lights and not blue...and I think California law requires a steady burn red light as ID for da popo. But I might just be watching too much TV. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

In my area, most LE agencies use blue strobes and maybe some clear lately. But in other parts of the state, cops use blue and red. Every now and then some amber too.

I like using a little of everything!!!!!!!!

I see that folks say, "according to a study..." But I have heard different results from "a study".

I'd like to see an actual study. Who did this "study"? How did they conduct it? What were the results? Not just about color, but about strobe vs. rotator.

I mean if a rotator lightbar salesman tells me his company did a "study" and found rotators to be best, I'm going to be a little skeptical. Has there been am independent study done by some PhD or something about warning light color and stuff?

How about that Tulsa PD study???
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-Sparky

[720]

I have no clue where the "study" is, all I know it was in the 80's and aimed at color. It was spurred after a few bad incident involving officers and being ran into while on stops. One I believe critically injured an officer.

As for strobe and rotor comparison, I do not believe there was any look into it when they investigated the incidents.

I also remember reading the color/time of day comparison in a book....hold on let me get the title...it is "Modern Police Cars" from Motorbooks Publishing. It's text in the area about colors of bars states,

"...the human eye is more sensitive to red light during the day and blue at night. Red lights at night tend to blend into every other red light on the road. It is easier for our eyes to distinguish the blue lights at night..."

All I know, is in my personal opinion, strobes work fine, but you also need halogen to allow for the cars position to be seen by the public other than just the glare of the strobes. And as for color, mix it up, blue amber and red. They make the lenses in the colors so don't limit yourself in the warning. We are now using in our department the SVP Impulse with both rtors and strobes, and I think it is the perfect combo, although I wuld probabyl pick the same setup in a Code 3 Excaliber platform over the SVP if I had the choice.

[Ray]

You also have to go by state laws too. Its seems north of the Mason Dixon line police use red and south uses blue as the primary light. At one time red was universal. Now many agencies are going multi-color ie red/blue/amber/clear to get lites from all spectrums.

Strobes are fine, but wait till you have to replace a strobe tube. My patrol car needs a replacement corner strobe in the Whelen. Cannt just buy the strobe have to buy an entire assembly. Cost about $100, where a halogen bulb is about $4-6.

Halogen rotars supplemented by halogen flashers, corner strobes and flashing headlights do a good job. I understand the Excalibur from Code3 is a good light.

Personally I like slick top vehicles. The money spent on a bar light often could outfit two vehicles with a good set of interior lights.

[Don]

Originally posted by Ray:
Personally I like slick top vehicles. The money spent on a bar light often could outfit two vehicles with a good set of interior lights.

Right on Ray! Of course I never worked a traffic car on an LA freeway. However out in the boonies where I did work I much preferred the slick top.


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"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining". . . Judge Judy
6P1 (retired)

[Ray]

I had a car with 55watt halogen flashers, two on the headliner, two on bumper two back deck. Corner strobes, flashing headlights and people would stop faster for it than one of my cars with a bar light!!!!!!!

[Dave]

our dept has just about every combination known to law inforcement, strobes halogin led's. you name it we have it. as for siren once again we have just about every brand with all kinds of sounds, personaly i like the pier sound going through intersections for some reason people stop for that one, i'd like to coment on the pa system, but since some $##^*$! either broke the mikes or cut them out all together we dont have but one that works. and why all this foolery? US MILITARY the lowest bidder, or chepest at the time.
the best vehicle we have is our traffic unit, it is a slick top, but we have cambination of strobe and halogin rotators, front and back, wig wags and a pa that works. also we have one red strobe and rotator, that we use during the day, and not too much at night, boy was the mechanic mad when we told him how we wanted it. and god only knows how he hooked it all up with the switches but it seems to work real well for day and night.

[CajunKnight]

I am the motor vehicle shop manager for a the sheriff's department and we use the edge 9004 light bar with 4 strobes, and 4 halogen flashers 2 front 2 rear, takedown lights and alley lights, at a cost of about $750.00 per bar including mounting brackets. We use the Code 3 siren with switches for lighting accessaries (3 position slide and 4 push buttons)at a cost of apx $300.00 with a 100 watt speaker mounted behind the grille at a cost of $109.00 we also use a wig wag headlight flasher-random flash(sho-me)at a cost of $30.00 per unit now the radio system is of your choice but I have had the best performance from Motorola radios. I do not recomend the use of full strobe bars due to the high visibility of the halogen especially in bad weather conditions, I would also urge the use of rear amber halogen flashers that can be switched off and on seperately. The use of red and blue on the bars will give the best of both worlds night and day with clear inserts is a plus. I hope this is of some use to you.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy and taste like chicken.

[slolightbar]

LOL FLLawdog: That whelen LED bar? All $10,000 of it? Just imagine, in like 4 months time, the price has dropped to $1300 and I own one! They are awesome! Some of you might be aware that I buy/sell/trade lights heavily, and get a lot of new demo products and soforth. Anyone have any lights for sale?? Anyone have any more patrol car setups you would list? Thanks!

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Stay Safe Everyone!

Matthew Frank

[720]

Ours is simple...

>2000: All cars had Federal Signal JetStreams or Sonics with rear deck lights if they could be found at the city garage.

2000: All 2000 Interceptors and one 2001 have SVP Impulse bars with a strobe halogen combo, awesome bars IF they were of decent quality. If an officer wants headlight or tail light flashers he must pay for them himself. Nothing else is allowed so the electrical system doesn't get overloaded with the laptops, radios, camera, radar, etc.

2001: Due to the problems with the SVP bars we are going to Code3 Excalibers in all halogen. Same will probably hold true to 2000 in regards to extra lighting. But to me, keeping it simple is the way to go.

NOW...to explain the most elaborate setup around here...the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, I cannot undertsand their reasoning except having way too much money...they use a Federal halogen Vista, wigwags, corner strobes, grill strobes, mirror strobes, dash strobes, deck strobes, tail light strobes, traffic advisor in the lightbar and a tail light flasher. To me that is way OVERKILL...many of the lights overpower the others making the other obsolete, and at night, it is blinding and almost a hazard.

[Glock]

Smart Vector with Signal Master lightbars
Federal SmartSiren with Signal Master control
Digital Motorola Astro Spectra radio
Unsure on the audible system
Unsure on the brand but a Pentium 233 laptop
Python II FS radar
Cell phones in some cars
Of course the shotgun, spotlight, and cage

I believe that's all the gear in our cars

[PatrickM98]

Not that I'm an expert on lights or anything, but I've heard that over time the LEDs will eventually pay for themselves since they use so little power and last for an extremely long time. Add to that, there are no mechanical structures like rotating mirrors to break down.

As to which lights are seen better...I can say from my own experience that I think blue strobes are by far the best at night, although they aren't that easy to see during bright days.

[Sotex]

My cruiser has a Code 3 MX-7000, blue/red domes, with arrowstik,front flashers, alley lights, four take-downs, and white intersections/center rotator. Also red/blue strobes in back-up lights and trunk lid(blocks the lightbar when open). low and high band radios, radar, video, FS siren w/ PA.
When I swap cars I'll go with light control/siren combo box w/ slide switch.

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God, I love my job!-Porthos