It may still show on radar but Cottonwood police’s new truck is still stealthy.
The CPD received a Chevrolet Silverado to add to its fleet through a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
The vehicle will be used for traffic enforcement, specifically aggressive driving and DUI, according to Detective Sgt. Tod Moore.
The truck will benefit efforts through both its body type and markings.
“It’s got what they call stealth markings, where it can be seen if you’re straight on with a vehicle but not otherwise. A truck like that blends in better with normal traffic,” Moore said.
In this way, Moore said drivers breaking traffic laws will not slow down or otherwise correct their actions once they see an officer nearby, as is the case with regular marked cars.
This is not the only nondescript vehicle Cottonwood police use, either. This does present a potential dilemma for motorists when being pulled over. The lights alone, combined with an unfamiliar body type — most police vehicles are either Crown Victorias or Chevrolet Tahoes — can lead to the driver questioning whether the vehicle attempting the traffic stop is an actual officer.
“The best thing for people to do when they have those situations is to turn their flashers on so that they understand they are being stopped. Obviously, if they’re speeding real fast, slow down to the normal speed, and they can call in to local dispatch to verify that there is indeed an actual police officer trying to pull them over. The police aren’t going to stop-stick them, ram them, as long as the officer knows they’re being recognized,” Moore said.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Sept. 9, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
