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I like the use of "go dark" when discussing police, considering so many American police agencies now use black patrol cars with black lettering on them so they
by reaperducer 1y ago
I like the use of "go dark" when discussing police, considering so many American police agencies now use black patrol cars with black lettering on them so they can't be seen.
Meanwhile, in the UK, police cars are tarted up with fluorescent geometric patterns to make them as visible as possible.
It certainly shows a contrast in intent. One is "Here I am, come to me for help!" and the other is "I'm the secret police, show me your papers while I switch off my body camera."
- ocdtrekkie 1y agoYeah this is a silly cultural thing. I participate in a non-law enforcement, completely volunteer emergency response organization, and other members will buy black tactical vests that "look cool" with their name and the organization on them. Meanwhile... I wear the... brightest most neon thing I possibly can because when I am in the middle of a four lane road directing traffic, I want to be brighter than the sun because I don't want to get hit. From volunteers up to the ICE gestapo, people watch too much TV where the cops get to shoot things up and look awesome doing it, and that's often what they want to be.
- SoftTalker 1y agoIt’s like when governors or mayors wear DHS windbreakers after some emergency, as if they’ve just come off the front lines of the response.
- kylehotchkiss 1y agoHey that 5 minute helicopter tour of the emergency may have been windy for a few minutes
- gishh 1y ago> I participate in a non-law enforcement, completely volunteer emergency response organization Can I ask you to expand on this part? I’m really, sincerely curious.
- ocdtrekkie 1y agoSure, it's the other US-CERT which is not related to computers. ;D https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_emergency_response_team https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_emergency_response_t...
- gishh 1y agoThanks!
- ThrowawayTestr 1y agoThe UK has unmarked police cars.
- aerostable_slug 1y agoGenerally agencies on both sides of the pond maintain a small variety of vehicles; horses for courses.
- OptionOfT 1y agoMost countries have both marked and unmarked police cars. Now, there are counties / cities in the USA where the requirement on contract between text color and body color aren't as clear, and then are abused by the police to have even their marked vehicles blend in more.
- happymellon 1y ago> It certainly shows a contrast in intent If the police were intentionally there to help then they wouldn't be abusing this loophole, or the people making the rules would correct it. The fact that they don't is the tell.
- gblargg 1y agoI'd rather the bad guys have a harder time spotting police when they're going to get caught.
- reaperducer 1y agoReal life isn't like the movies. It's not a game of cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians. Police are supposed to "protect and serve."
- gs17 1y ago> Police are supposed to "protect and serve." "To Protect and to serve" is just the LAPD motto (other departments decided it made them sound good so they copied it). US Courts have generally disagreed that police inherently have any such duties.
- gblargg 1y agoTry to be more mature. I was suggesting that cop cars that don't draw attention (except with lights on) do better at surprising criminals. I've seen plenty of dashcam videos (which is real-life) for example where someone doesn't even notice the cop a few cars up or down, and gets pulled over.