Question about CT State Trooper Cars

[x648eng119 2]

I was coming back accross I-84 the other day from New Britian, and I passed a few CTSP cars driving the opposite direction, and it puzzled me becuase they weren't operating in "emergency mode," but they had steady red and blue lights illuminated on the ends of the lightbars. Is this normal, and does anyone know why they do it? I'd imagine it's for easy ID of the police car, but i'm still curious.

Thanks in advance.

[Guest Mstremt]

I was coming back accross I-84 the other day from New Britian, and I passed a few CTSP cars driving the opposite direction, and it puzzled me becuase they weren't operating in "emergency mode," but they had steady red and blue lights illuminated on the ends of the lightbars. Is this normal, and does anyone know why they do it? I'd imagine it's for easy ID of the police car, but i'm still curious.

Thanks in advance.

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Yes, they're called cruise lights and all ctsp patrol cars have them illuminated when theyre on patrol. As a foot note a car is assigned to a trooper once he leaves the academy and stays with him on and off duty till the vehicle is retired around 60,000 miles the light bars used to have a quick release so troopers could easily remove them for off duty. ( atleast this was the practice about 4 yrs ago)

Peace

[Guest]

CT has the nicest and classiest patrol cars. They are in mutliple colors, but no big letters or anything on the side. Just a nice ccrownt vic w/ a light bar - gets the job done real nice.

[Cos Cob 215 7]

Also, the words "STATE POLICE" glow front and back in Amber at the center of many of the bars.

[Guest ksneubec]

They no longer have the quick release for the lightbars. The first thing I look for when I see them is what the officer is wearing. Its funny to see a trooper and his wife, dressed in their sunday best, going to church on a Sunday morning with everyone pulling over for them in the fast lane .

[cas2383 22]

My friend used to get rides to high school in his nieghbors state pd car... lol

[scpdunit20 0]

As far as the CSP trading the cars in at 60,000 miles it doesn't happen all the time. One of my cousin's is with the CSP & he just received a new car b/c he was invloved in a crash with a stolen car. His old car had over a 100,000 miles on it. I also work for the state as a university PO & 4 of cars are over 60,000. We are just going to receive 2 new cars & a suv. I have to wait awhile for my car to be traded in. It has 90,000 miles on it. Our department also likes for us to use the cruise lights at night.

[z28skunk 28]

my best friend lives in Bethel, CT and I frequently visit. I always see state trooper cars up there and the appearance of the cars is very nonchalant, almost incognito. there are no indications that the vehicle is a state trooper car other than a small sign in the middle of the light bar with "state trooper" inscribed on it along with tiny single blue and red lights at opposing ends of the light bar during highway cruising. it is as if the state took a bone stock police interceptor fresh off the lot in a non threatening color and threw a light bar on top and no vehicle stickers. being from NY, I am accustomed to the dark blue and yellow striping on state trooper vehicles. especially the Camaros!

[INIT915 1,119]

What is the point of the criusing lights?

I know personally, at night, my goal is to NOT have anyone see me coming.

[xvolly 0]

really don't know other than when your doing 70-75 mph in the left lane and you see them in the rear view............YOU MOVE, and QUICKLY!

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

The cruise lights cam in a number of years ago when the citizens were complaining about no police presence on the highways. The Supt. of the SP up there changed the whole thing and they phased in the constant light. Even the lighted STATE POLICE sign was added.

[x648eng119 2]

Thanks for all the answers, i find it very interesting, especially since there are no markings on the car. Now if only they left them on while doing speed traps.

[20y2 43]

There are marked CTSP cars, they tend to exist closer to Hartford.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I work at Troop I here is the truths and untruths

1. All Cars are not retired at 60,000 miles. Many troopers are using cars up until 80,000 to 90,000 miles now or even more in some cases. When a car gets retired, they are placed into the spare pool. If there is a major mechanical problem, IE transmission is going, they are removed from service and lately have not been getting fixed.

2. New cars usually go to senior troopers first and those with high miles.

3. New recruits get hand me downs. These cars can have anywhere from 35,000 miles or up. Recruits do not get brand new cars. A lot of them come from the spare pool.

4. All light bars, LED and strobe have cruise lights (the out board running marker lights) that can be turned off an on. This is helpfull for when running radar. CSP has always had running / cruise lights dating back to the old big blue strobe "gumball" style light in the 80's. It had nothing to do with a complaint about police presence on the highways. It was done to make them more visible to the public. All most all CT police departments have cruise lights on there bars.

5. The amber "STATE POLICE" in the center can also be turned off with the marker switch. This is the only identification mark on the car. All curisers are unmarked and the troopers take them home. Troopers are technically on duty in there cruiser / "soft car" wether working or not.

6. When a trooper is off duty, they must remove the light bar. All cruisers have disconnects including the new LED bars. The new quick connects don't have the old box, they are more like a weather proof twisting connection.

7. Any car with markings on the side of the cars are enforcement cars or used for special details. These are usually stored at the troops, the academy, headquarters of at one of the 3 district HQ's. This depends who is using it.

8. The cruisers are ordered mainly in dark blue, brown, green or silver by the Fleet Offices. Other colors do exist but rarely.

9. Right now they are also using Intrepids and Impalas as soft cars for traffic division (these troopers also have a cruiser assinged to them as well), major crime detectives or other soft cars.

10. Master Seargents, Lieutenants, Capatains, Majors, ect have Crown Vics with out light bars. If they are reassigned to a trooper or spare pool, lightbar equipment is installed.

Any other questions I will be happy to answer. If I do not have one, I will find out for you.

Edited March 9, 2006 by IzzyEng4

[gpdexplorer 46]

Can you explain a "soft car"?

[210 91]

I remember in the 70's they had the blue strobe in the center and two small strobes facing the rear on either side. I remember they would at times run with center light in criuse mode. They had the State Police signs in between the lights. Always liked their vehicles.

[JBE 328]

I remember the super duper no frills CT SP car. A simple blue lollipop light in between two signs that read State Police.

[sbvfd596 2]

I remember the super duper no frills CT SP car. A simple blue lollipop light in between two signs that read State Police.

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Even though this is offtopic, I was wondering about Local police agancies, sitting on state owned roads at night, pulling speeders over. Whose jurisdiction is it on a state owned road?, and is it legal for a PO to sit on the side of the road at night. w/ no parking lights on?

[210 91]

Even though this is offtopic, I was wondering about Local police agancies, sitting on state  owned roads at night, pulling speeders over.  Whose jurisdiction is it on a state owned road?, and is it legal for a PO to sit on the side of the road at night. w/ no parking lights on?

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Not sure about CT but in NC and SC if a state road runs through a local municipality local PD can enforce law. Parked on the side of the road with lights off is a departmental policy. You can or you can't, it's not illegal.

Edited March 9, 2006 by 210

[Guest]

In connecticut the local PD enforces the law on local roads. In southwest CT the state pd does not do too many patrols, leaving the municiplaities to enforce the law on all roads. PD can park on any side of the road, inlcuding in a driveway unless the homeowner complains. The state technically owns ten feet into your property from the state road(utility poles are part of this ten feet).

[IzzyEng4 427]

Even though this is offtopic, I was wondering about Local police agancies, sitting on state  owned roads at night, pulling speeders over.  Whose jurisdiction is it on a state owned road?, and is it legal for a PO to sit on the side of the road at night. w/ no parking lights on?

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CSP only cover the highways and any town that they are the police agency for or a Resident Trooper Town. We do not have county sheriffs. So for example you are in Wesport on State Route 53 or U.S. Route 1, which are considered local roads non-highway, Wesport PD covers those roads. If you are on Route 15 which is a parkway, CSP covers all of it.

If it is considered a parkway, expressway, highway or interstate, we cover it. Some State roads turn into a local road. An example of this is Route 34 in New Haven and Route 8. Route 34 is an expressway from the 95 interchange in New Haven and is covered by CSP until Exit 3 near teh Air RIghts Garage for Yale-New Haven Hospital. Once off the Exit ramps, New Have Police take over the policing of tjhe road in New Havem, West Haven in theire town, Ect. Route 8 is covered by 4 different Troops (Starting with G, then I , A, and ending with L). Route 8 becomes a regular local road in Winsted and is covered by Winsted police in that town.

The only thing the State does with "state roads" going though towns is taking care of it by CTDOT. Repairs, plowing, ect.

Hopefully I explaned this well engough.

Edited March 9, 2006 by IzzyEng4

[IzzyEng4 427]

I remember in the 70's they had the blue strobe in the center and two small strobes facing the rear on either side.  I remember they would at times run with center light in criuse mode. They had the State Police signs in between the lights. Always liked their vehicles.

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We still have a couple of those light bars in our garage on display. ONe has all blue lights and on has a blue gumball and one blue and one red lollipop, which faced the rear only.

Also, notice that all state police cruisers have multiple lights facing the rear. Some of the troopers I tease because they call me a "light spark" just running my blues in my truck. They need it though since many of CT highways are dark.

Also a not i didn't post b4. The lightbars are switched to operate front only, rear only or front and rear. If the trooper is on the highways, many of them run front only mode going to a scene / speed enforcment and switch the bar to rear only at the stop. When covering local town patrols we provice police for, they run front and rear. They always have the rear deck lights on especially on the highways. They don't always follow this, I think it is up to the trooper what they feel. I don;t know if there is an SOP for this.

SOFT CARS = Unmarked, non Crown Victorias

Soft Cars are usually Administrative cars used by detectives or other CSP personel. They are not patrol cars.

I messed up before the traffic division does not use "soft car" they are classified interceptors if they are not using the cruiser.

[210 91]

We still have a couple of those light bars in our garage on display.  ONe has all blue lights and on has a blue gumball and one blue and one red lollipop, which faced the rear only.

Also, notice that all state police cruisers have multiple lights facing the rear.  Some of the troopers I tease because they call me a "light spark" just running my blues in my truck.   They need it though since many of CT highways are dark.

SOFT CARS = Unmarked, non Crown Victorias

Soft Cars are usually Administrative cars used by detectives or other CSP personel.  They are not patrol cars.

I messed up before the traffic division does not use "soft car" they are classified interceptors if they are not using the cruiser.

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The rear or front only is a good option. Having the rear only on during stops or accidents lets you take care of business without getting a headache from strobes flashing in your face.

[IzzyEng4 427]

210 that is one reason. I was also told that when responding on the highways that the glare off the back part of the bar would not disturb drivers on the opposite way when the CSP cars pass by. Not getting blinded wint the mirrors. It does make sense. A few troopers have said this to me. Most of the time, at least with the strobes, the floodlights drown them out. With the deck lights at least they are directional and usually not as bright.

[210 91]

210 that is one reason.  I was also told that when responding on the highways that the glare off the back part of the bar would not disturb drivers on the opposite way when the CSP cars pass by.  Not getting blinded wint the mirrors.  It does make sense.  A few troopers have said this to me.  Most of the time, at least with the strobes, the floodlights drown them out.  With the deck lights at least they are directional and usually not as bright.

←

That does makes sense.

[cas2383 22]

In some cases where the highways are far enough away from a CSP station some local police also cover the highways, as I have seen many times in Greenwich and Stamford assisting the responding state pd. Up north more towards the troop in Bridgeport it is less likely to see a municipal car up on the highways due to the accessibility of the state cars to respond to calls.

Edited March 10, 2006 by cas2383

[210 91]

In some cases where the highways are far enough away from a CSP station some local police also  cover the highways, as I have seen many times in Greenwich and Stamford assisting the responding state pd. Up north more towards the troop in Bridgeport it is less likely to see a municipal car up on the highways due to the accessibility of the state cars to respond to calls.

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This is also true in NC. Pretty much if you know a certian area isnt covered frequently due to the distance from a station the local guys will be there for back up. Even if its out of juristiction units will respond to stabilize a situation until the state arrives. And the NC troopers dont hesitate to back up city cars if they happen to be in the neighborhood. Gotta look out for each other.

I'm near the Raleigh/Durham area where we have plenty of manpower but theres an area called Beaver Dam which is extremely rural. There was a deputy sheriff on a call who needed back up and the nearest units were 20-30 minutes away.

Firefighters who happened to be at the Beaver Dam fire station were listening and notified county they were responding with their utility. They arrived and their presence alone helped defuse the situation. They didn't have to physically get involved but the fact they pulled up in their utility was enough. The dumb a*# causing the problem knew he was out numbered. This of course isn't standard procedure but again this was a very rural area.

Edited March 10, 2006 by 210

[IzzyEng4 427]

In some cases where the highways are far enough away from a CSP station some local police also  cover the highways, as I have seen many times in Greenwich and Stamford assisting the responding state pd. Up north more towards the troop in Bridgeport it is less likely to see a municipal car up on the highways due to the accessibility of the state cars to respond to calls.

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LOCAL PD's DO NOT PATROL THE HIGHWAYS

If a Local PD goes up on the highway wether it is a MV stop or a pursuit, they must notify the CSP Troop that covers that area. Local PDs will only go on the highway only after we call them for assistance and 9 times out of 10 they will help out if we asked them too (the one time they can't is 'cause there busy too). However if they has a crime / infraction happen in there town they can stop the on the highway but they also notify us they are there and if they have back up or not there. CSP usually heads tp their location anyway to be safe and its our jurisdiction. Also if there is a report of a crash and the local 911 gets it, they will usually send one of their units if it is close to the highway or depending of the severity of it. Local PD's area also called to send a until if that patrol trooper is tied up and the next due trooper is at a distance.

Cell towers in CT are set up really weird. Some 911 from cell phones got to the troops while others go to the town / regional 911 center. This happens depending if the tower is in the town or is near the highway. So with this in mind, Stamford may get the call and say "Hey theres a cars at Exit 10, we have a unit right in the area and we'll check it out." And of course we accept the help. All the local towns are great in helping out when it is needed. They know we would be there if they called us in an emergency in a heartbeat.

Not all CSP Troopers are not based at the Troop when they are on duty, they are all assigned a specific partol amd take a post when they are not sweeping it.

Edited March 11, 2006 by IzzyEng4