Marked Police Car - No Blue Lights

[Steddenm]

My partner has noticed recently a number of marked police cars which have no lights on top of them. What are these used for?

 

[gordonthemoron]

They may have blue lights behind the radiator grill though

 

[Steddenm]

They may have blue lights behind the radiator grill though

I think he means more on top.

 

[transportphoto]

Police Community Support Officers often use marked cars without blue lights, likewise officers undertaking “diary” car duties (preplanned appointments etc) where there is no need to have a response capability. Forensic Services are another such department which is usually formed of police staff working in slow time, not requiring blue light capacity. The list goes on!

You’d also be surprised at the number of frontline “response” officers who are not trained in the use of blue lights at all, so whilst they may used a blue light fitted vehicle they undertake all duties at normal road speeds.

 

[Snow1964]

For years rural police used these, usually known as panda cars as doors often different colour.

They were basic local transport to get policeman to where they needed to go. Only those who had done the supplementary driving course were allowed to use blue light vehicles.

The modern equivalent is follow up staff that are not blue light trained but need to be able to use a police vehicle to get to crime scenes and investigations etc

 

[SargeNpton]

For years rural police used these, usually known as panda cars as doors often different colour.

They were basic local transport to get policeman to where they needed to go. Only those who had done the supplementary driving course were allowed to use blue light vehicles.

The modern equivalent is follow up staff that are not blue light trained but need to be able to use a police vehicle to get to crime scenes and investigations etc

Panda cars, or many of them anyway, did have blue lights. Not necessarily for high-speed chases, but as a warning at traffic accidents, etc.

 

[Steddenm]

Thanks for your responses everyone.

 

[High Dyke]

Info about Panda cars.

Panda car - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

History of the term​

The term 'panda car' was first used to refer to black police cars with panels that had been painted white to increase their visibility. It was later applied to blue and white police cars.

There is a record of Salford City Police using black and white Hillman Minxs in 1960.

The chief constable of the Lancashire Constabulary referred to the use of blue and white Ford Anglia panda cars in Kirkby in an article in The Times on 26 January 1966.

In 1967, the Dunbartonshire force bought two Hillman Imps (subsequently nicknamed Pinky and Perky) for escort duties on the A82 road; one was blue, the other white. The boot lids, bonnets and doors were then swapped to create a panda car style scheme.