Arkansas State Police Roll Out New Low-Profile Cruisers

The Arkansas State Police on Aug. 14 deployed 24 new low-profile vehicles that are designed to blend in with ordinary traffic and allow troopers a better opportunity to witness more traffic violations.

Each of the 12 troops in the state gets two of the vehicles, which are Dodge Chargers.

The new cars are equipped the same as a conventional patrol car, but come in different colors, do not have the roof-mounted bar light and are marked only on the passenger side with the State Police star and blue stripe.

“Low profile patrol cars are not what a driver might normally recognize as a state police vehicle,” said Colonel Stan Witt, Director of the Arkansas State Police.

“Experience has demonstrated that flagrant violators typically are scanning traffic looking for the common markings of an Arkansas State Police patrol car,” said Major J.R. Hankins, commander of the Highway Patrol Division (western region). “Simply stated, we’re trying to change what a violator might be looking for and be in a better position to document the violation before initiating the traffic stop.”

On divided highways, troopers will try to move into a position to allow a driver being pulled over to get a view of both the trooper and the state police markings on the passenger side of the vehicle, then fall back behind the driver to initiate the traffic stop with a blue emergency light across the top interior of the front windshield.

Agency officials say consideration will be given to drivers who may be uncertain whether the traffic stop is being executed by a legitimate law enforcement vehicle. The drivers may proceed at the posted speed limit to the nearest safe location before stopping.

Topics Auto Law Enforcement Arkansas