NCJ Number
213019
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2006 Pages: 40-44
Date Published
January 2006
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article provides guidelines for law enforcement agencies regarding the inclusion, design, and installation of equipment for patrol vehicles.
Abstract
Police departments should consult with manufacturers of police vehicles to ensure that they meet the requirements not only of performance but also safety. There should also be consultation with manufacturers and installers of equipment that is added to the vehicle after it leaves the car manufacturer. Improperly designed and mounted equipment can become a projectile in crashes and increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Also, improper equipment installations can cause seatbelts and air bags to malfunction or deploy incorrectly. This article provides practical information on the use of airbags in police vehicles, the design and installation of prisoner transport partitions in police vehicles, specifications for storing items in the trunk, lighting systems, vehicle markings, radar, and the siren. Many of the guidelines offered are based on findings of field studies. These include experiments with emergency lighting conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. All of the advice provided in this article is based on the reports of working groups of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Highway Safety Committee and its Law Enforcement Stops and Safety Subcommittee.