Montgomery County Police have unveiled new cruisers to increase traffic enforcement as part of the county’s Vision Zero safety plan.
Police say the cruisers were deployed Thursday and will be operated by officers from the Central Traffic Unit wearing department-issued uniforms.
With the exception of the departmental decals, the ‘slick-top’ cruisers will be displayed with what is known as “ghost graphics,” which have subdued gray and white markings rather than black and gold lettering commonly seen on department-issued patrol vehicles. These graphics are faint during the day but are highly reflective at night.
The cruisers will not have light bars mounted on the roof. Instead, they will have lights mounted on the top of the windshield and in the rear window.
“The subdued profile of these vehicles will better allow officers to better observe drivers in traffic who may be speeding, texting while driving, not wearing seatbelts, driving impaired, or driving aggressively,” MCPD said in a press release. “These five violations are often factors in serious and/or fatal collisions. Studies show that officer interaction with drivers is also an effective way to conduct education and change driving behavior.”
MCPD Photo