You Can Prevent Police Car Theft
By
Mark Tremblay

It seams that a police car is stolen almost every day somewhere
in the United States. When this occurs, you and the public are
immediately in danger. After all, a high performance vehicle is in
the hands of a car thief fleeing capture during a high-speed pursuit 
with total disregard for our laws and human life. These individuals
often have the light and sirens blaring, while listening to the 
police radio to avoid roadblocks, tire deflation devices, or
any other countermeasures. The situation quickly becomes your
future nightmare.

In Brandenburg, KY, police officers handcuffed a drunk-driving suspect
behind it back, placed him in a cruiser and put the seat belt across him.
The suspect was secure when the officers left him to search his car.
Somehow, the suspect climbed into the front seat of the patrol car
and drove off at high speeds with the cruiser's lights flashing. He 
traveled nearly seven miles before crossing the centerline and crashing 
head-on into an oncoming car. Both drivers were instantly killed. The 
driver of the other vehicle was a 57-year-old woman returning home from
a visit with her daughter and her two grandchildren, ages 13 and 4.
The crash occurred only a few miles from the woman's home.

In Pompano Beach, FL, a car thief was placed under arrest with his
hands cuffed behind his back and then put in the back seat of a police car.
The vehicle was left running to keep air conditioning and emergency lights
functioning. As deputies were outside the police car completing their
paperwork, this subject got from the back seat of the police car to the 
front. This subject then floored the accelerator and drove the police car
toward the officers driving with his knees. A Broward Sheriffs officer, 
fearing for his life, fired his weapon at the subject behind the wheel 
of the oncoming vehicle. The suspect received a single bullet wound to 
to the chest and continued to drive for 12 blocks as the police car 
sideswiped another vehicle before it crashed into a condominium complex.

In Philadelphia, a stolen cruiser quickly escalated into a national
media frenzy like the Rodney King incident. The simple fact that he 
stole their police car changed the handling methods of this prisoner. 
Enough said about this incident.

These are just three tragedies out of dozens that occurred during
this past summer involving stolen police cars. For every one incident
that attracts national media attention, more than a hundred others
are quickly and quietly dealt with. Every stolen police car incident
leaves agencies open to liability and officers vulnerable.

In most stolen police car situations, the law enforcement officers
do everything they are trained to do. They follow standard operating
procedures, and are in the general vicinity of the vehicle. Officers
must leave prisoners unattended in running cars as is done on very
cold days or very hot days. They must also leave their cruisers
running unattended to provide power for the emergency lighting,
computers, radios, heaters, air conditioners, and defrosters.

It is always a liability for an agency to leave a cruiser running 
unattended. When rapid departure is required, officers must be able 
to immediately. They can't fumble with keys or codes. Whenever someone 
steals a police car the agency faces liability, lawsuits, damaged 
vehicles, lost weapons, or worse.

More and more attorneys are looking at the liability involved and
they are looking at this issue as preventable with today's technology.
During the past 15 years, inexpensive devices have become available that
prevent unauthorized personnel from driving off with your cruiser. Unique
camouflage anti-theft systems blend in with the vehicle's surrounding
components.

How do these devices work? When officers pull up to an emergency
situation, they place the shifter into the "park" position and the
anti-theft system is automatically activated. Prisoners, drunks and other
unauthorized individuals are not able to shift the vehicle out of park.
Law enforcement personnel, however, can quickly and easily deactivate 
the system and rapidly depart. These devices also give 24-hour protection
to vehicles when not in service, at the station or with take-home
policy. If the key lock is destroyed, the shifter will not release.

This system plugs into the vehicle's existing harness. It is a quick
and safe installation. Since no cutting or splicing of wires is involved,
it does not void the existing vehicle manufacturer warranties.

Without a doubt, it is necessary for officers to secure their
vehicles at all times. In the real world, this is impossible unless
the vehicles are equipped with anti-theft devices. For less than the
cost of a flashlight officers can secure their vehicles.


The End


Mark Tremblay, currently the Vice-President of Tremco Police Products, is 
a former police officer. Tremco Police Products offers an Anti-Theft System
that prevents stolen vehicles. Users include over half of all highway 
patrol and state police agencies as well as FBI, DEA and ATF. Not one 
vehicle containing a Tremco device has been stolen, even though many 
attempts have been made over the years. Mark can be reached at 
888-666-3031 or visit www.tremcopoliceproducts.com for additional 
information.

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