Unmarked CHP

[OpenRoad]

This topic has been tossed around from time to time. Some swear they see unmarked traffic enforcement in California. I chatted with several veteran CHP officers on this topic (me, in stealth mode) and they do NOT do enforcement with unmarked.
They have several unmarked units in the force used by Lieutenant/higher-ups who are going to meetings between offices and what not.
These units do have hidden lights and are used in cases of code 3 emergencies (officer needs assistance, etc), but are not used for traffic enforcement, and they cited the 3 vehicle codes that make it illegal in CA.

What DID come out of the chat was that some other non CHP agencies make occasional traffic stops for citations in unmarked cars.... and per the officers if the person receiving the citation they have a 50/50 chance of getting off.
There's 2 loopholes. If an officer's primary duty is non-traffic and he witnesses a violation, the person can be stopped. However, the 2nd loophole states that the officer cannot be witness to such enforcement. Weird catch there.
He said the few people who do end up in this situation don't challenge it. All in all, you will not encounter an unmarked police car running a LIDAR gun or traffic radar, because that is outright illegal in California.

 

[fitz4321]

I have seen white patrol vehicles with white labels. It’s practically invisible, but still marked. I saw one this week in Richmond, CA.
Edit: Richmond PD, not CHP.

 

[OpenRoad]

This is still marked. Most of these new slick top Chargers do not have rear markings. The push bar and 4 rooftop antennas are a giveaway



.

 

[erickonphoenix]

Do you guys have "stealth" cars out there at all? A black one of these without the push bar tagged me 15 over PSL when I blew by him tucked up in a group of cars.

 

[kyle13]

I’m not sure about CHP but Ik for fact unmarked sheriff cars can pull you over and ticket you if you are doing something to piss them off. I would know from experience!


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[System]

Do you guys have "stealth" cars out there at all? A black one of these without the push bar tagged me 15 over PSL when I blew by him tucked up in a group of cars.

View attachment 83111

They run this style in Alberta too. Technically marked, but you've gotta be looking at it from just the right angle to see the decals. They don't even have the push bars, and sometimes they have the weirdest vehicles (ex - Nissan Altima, Dodge Sprinter etc.)

I wish everywhere was like California...

 

[fitz4321]

Do you guys have "stealth" cars out there at all? A black one of these without the push bar tagged me 15 over PSL when I blew by him tucked up in a group of cars.

View attachment 83111

That is like the one I saw in Richmond, CA last week but the one I saw was an Explorer

 

[OpenRoad]

That is like the one I saw in Richmond, CA last week but the one I saw was an Explorer

They typically at a minimum need to have door decals for traffic - otherwise they were for non-traffic. We have a fully unmarked Crown Vic in Santa Cruz PD that is used for drug busts, domestic calls or backup. I see them in town all the time but they're not for traffic enforcement.

 

[fitz4321]

They typically at a minimum need to have door decals for traffic - otherwise they were for non-traffic. We have a fully unmarked Crown Vic in Santa Cruz PD that is used for drug busts, domestic calls or backup. I see them in town all the time but they're not for traffic enforcement.

Correct about the decals. If you zoom in on the picture posted above it has decals but is the same color as the car.

 

[OpenRoad]

I’m not sure about CHP but Ik for fact unmarked sheriff cars can pull you over and ticket you if you are doing something to piss them off. I would know from experience!

Like I said in the original post - most people don't challenge it. You could have, but it would be a PITA if you don't have a lawyer.

 

[OpenRoad]

Correct about the decals. If you zoom in on the picture posted above it has decals but is the same color as the car.

Pretty sneaky.

 

[Mjg407]

Nothing was worse than Hartford, Conn when I was in college. They ran unmarked mustangs and even a Grand National.

 

[apsykes]

I mean I've see white chp chargers with the badge only visible if you look at the front door... I believe those ones at least are commercial enforcement vehicles and will only pull you over as a passenger car if you do something very stupid... Like tailgating a Jetta on the far left lane. In my defense that vw was only doing 40.

 

[Mjg407]

Going through Fairfield I80 EB today, saw an unmarked Explorer running lights with someone pulled over (no Ka emissions) on the opposite side. I was prior to Hilltop road.