This has been a watershed year for law enforcement vehicles. Agencies have been taking delivery of four new models from Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford. And each of those new models must now be equipped with the latest accessories designed specifically to fit them or enhance their performance as public safety vehicles. Here's a look at some cool new vehicle accessories that have caught the eyes of the POLICE Magazine staff in recent months.
Vehicle Accessories: 2012
Federal Signal's Valor is one of the most unusual new lightbars on the market. This thing looks for all the world like a "W" or maybe a king's crown. Whatever it looks like to you, it’s distinctive, and it has a purpose. The Valor's unusual design makes it more visible at 45-degree and 90-degree angles as a vehicle approaches an intersection. Standing only two inches tall, the Valor is very low profile and is available with blue, red, white, and amber light configurations.
AEDEC International's Prisoner Transport System is available for both the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan and the Ford P.I. Utility. The backseat units provide a variety of means for securing prisoners, and are available with or without wiring channel adaptation. The Utility version offers a rear screen option to prevent prisoner access to the tools and weapons you have stored in your vehicle.
Code 3's Tricore Technology now operates with multi-colored lights in the same lightbar. Prior to this innovation, Tricore Technology (extremely bright, modular, high-efficiency lights developed and patented by Code 3) could only accommodate monocolor light. The new multicolor Tricore Technology is used in Code 3's Defender lightbar. Code 3 says the new Defender is two-and-a-half times brighter at 45-degree and 60-degree angles than any other lightbar and two times brighter from the rear. Available in any configuration of red, blue, amber, and white.
Tomar Electronics' modular lightbar features an extruded aluminum housing, and it's not only one of the brightest lightbars available, it's one of the easiest to repair. If a light goes bad, you just pull it out and replace it using plug-and-play connectors. The Scorpion is fully scalable from very bright to "Oh my God. My eyes!" bright. Take down modules are available in halogen or LED. The front/rear can fit three or six LED modules, depending on mission needs.
Jotto Desk's Single Cell prisoner transport module from Jotto Public Safety is available for the new Ford P.I. Sedan and the Chevy Tahoe. It features armored windows and handleless door panels for security, easy-to-clean seats and floor pans for biohazard and contraband control, and ample legroom for even the largest prisoners.
Invented by a Tennessee officer, the Magnetic Mic is a magnetic "hook" for radio mics. All you have to do is put the mic near the magnet and it's secure. The inexpensive ($24.99) Magnetic Mic eliminates fumbling around looking for the hook and thereby enhances officer safety during high-stress incidents. Installation is very simple and quick.
The cool thing about Brooking Industries' new Shadow rear lighting system for police utility vehicles is how it mounts. It sticks to the back glass of the tailgate with industrial double-sided tape. Because it's mounted externally and the lights don't have to shine through the tinted glass to be seen, the lights can be more easily seen by motorists and that enhances officer safety. Available for Chevy Tahoe and soon to be available for the Ford P.I. Utility.