Police are known to use a number of tricks to hide radar from unsuspecting motorists. Some police dress up like road maintenance workers and sometimes even have real road maintenance vehicles to add to the deception when running radar. Surveyor uniforms along with surveyor equipment are also used. Hiding in what appears to be a disabled truck also works well.

However the most original disguise has to be the police officer in Charles Town, West Virginia who hid in a portable toilet (with the door open to view potential speeders) across from the police station running a portable radar. I wonder if he was standing or sitting?

Most portable toilets have walls made from fiberglass, the same material used for aircraft radar radomes (nose cones). Fiberglass is strong and relatively transparent to microwaves. A police officer could blindly aim a radar beam through the fiberglass wall and get a speed reading on passing vehicles.

CopRadar

The Glastonbury Police in Connecticut have donated one of the earliest police traffic radars built to The "National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Museum" scheduled to open in 2009. The radar was first used by Glastonbury police in 1948 and operated in the microwave S band at 2.445 GHz. The S band radars became obsolete in the mid 1960's when smaller X band radars were introduced.

Fortunately over the years Police Captain David Caron saved the old S band police radar from disposal on 2 occasions, recognizing the radar's historical value. Kudos to Captain Caron!

I wonder if the radar still works? Back in those days many capacitors were oiled filled and tended to leak over time. Also in those days electronics used relatively unreliable vacuum tubes instead of the much more reliable (and smaller and lower power) transistors (invented in 1948 but not common until the 1970's). Modern Radar Guns are much smaller, use much less power and are more accurate and reliable (not a single oil filled capacitor).

Also note 1948 was the year for the first real mass production of commercial (VHF -- channels 2 through 13) broadcast televisions sets. There was (is) no TV channel 1 because the frequency was found (too late to change the channel arrangement) to interfere with airport communications.

CopRadar

The Hayward Police Department received a grant that will use to purchase the latest high-tech equipment used nationwide to combat reckless motorists.
This funding will be used to purchase laser speed-tracking guns (radar guns). The department has been using laser guns since the mid-1990s and is very pleased with the results, so want to double the quantity. The Police Department has been making greater use of the laser gun technology because it provides more accurate readings when identifying speeding drivers. The laser guns are very similar to radar guns, only they use a technology called "lidar". This system provides information for more accurate reading of a motorist's speed. Standard radar guns emit radio waves that cover a larger area, often resulting in a driver challenging speeding tickets because it's difficult to determine whether the radar gun has registered the speed of the correct vehicle or not. Along with displaying the speed and the direction of the vehicle, the laser also provides an audible indicator that informs the officer which direction the speeding vehicle is traveling. But the police officers will also continue to use radar gunswhile in the field, because it’s the only speed-tracking device that can be used in the situation when a patrol car is moving.

Speeding on residential streets has become a chronic and even seems unsolving problem. As a police officer who operated radar in the early ’70s, I submit that speeding was a chronic problem then, but now it got even worse. Maybe you’ll be surprised, or maybe you’ll find yourself as one of them, but I’ll try to describe the people who speed and then together we’ll try to understand why they do that. These people are everyone from teenagers, young couples and parent, to grandpas and grandmas…. You can’t even name all of them there are as many as stars at night sky… The worst of the speeders is the one who violates the laws and rules continuously, so called chronic violator, he/she neither respect his/her neighbors nor takes responsibility for his/her actions. As you understand police with their radar laser guns can’t be everywhere 24/7 and solve all the problems we as the society and nation have to deal with. Nothing will ever solve the problem but our conscious and morality. Because only we, as nation, and more likely every individual can make a difference in our country and in the world.
So, please think about it…

I think that every mom will understand my feelings and inside worries about every child (not only ours) stepping inside the school bus. Every time I say good-bye to my son, I start praying and asking God to keep him safe and sound and keep him and other kids from crashes on the road. You never know what can happen neither today nor tomorrow and the most ridiculous thing is that no one can guarantee you the safety of your child.
That’s why I met with the transportation director in our region and several questions about school bus drivers, their training and education. And here’s what I got.
Every school bus driver has a state and national CDL and school bus drivers go through extensive training before they are ready to drive behind the wheel. They also must have two endorsements on that CDL. “S” – for the school bus, and “P” – for passenger. All drivers go through 30 hours of classroom training before they are allowed to drive a bus. In the training room, they learn general safety rules, such as how to pick up kids, and how to deal with difficult kids. They then go through five tests from the Department of Public Safety. When they pass, they get a driving permit. School bus drivers –to-be then go through approximately 20 to 30 hours of “behind the wheel,” training, where they learn unique situations for school buses, such as parking, while brushing up on general traffic rules. In average, the training can take anywhere from two to three weeks, depending on how well performs the driver. Every three years, school bus drivers take retraining classes to get caught up on school bus laws and safety. There also are the audio and visual cameras, which are installed in the school buses. Sleeping child alarms makes the bus driver walk to the back of the bus to check for kids who have perhaps fallen asleep and have been left behind, where otherwise, the bus driver would be done with his or her route, leaving the child on the bus. Radar gunsare also available to check school bus drivers’ speeds when driving.
I was very pleased with my visit and talk to the director, who at the end of our meeting shook hands with me and said, that they just want kids to get to their schools healthy, safe and happy. And I liked that, because it’s the exact same thing that we, their mothers want…..

DANVILLE VILLAGE, OHIO is planning to finance a loan (fixed 5.25% interest rate for 5 years) to purchase a new police cruiser. Buy using a third party to install extras (including radar) the village expects to save a few thousand dollars.

The VALDOSTA POLICE in GEORGIA intend to purchase 3 fully equipped police cruisers that includes radar (of course) and a DUI detector. The Governors Office of Highway Safety will grant over $200,000 from the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic fund (H.E.A.T.). The money is also to be used to hire 2 new officers dedicated to the H.E.A.T. team.

HAMILTON Police in CANADA now have a 2006 Blue Dodge Charger that costs $30,000 (Canadian). The vehicle is equipped with a stationary / moving microwave radar. Currently only 2 officers are trained to drive the muscle car. The Charger averages 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) per 12 hour shift, and averages 50 speeding tickets per day (averages 25 per 12 hour shift).

CopRadar

The Virginia State Police recent effort (called Operation Air, Land and Speed campaign) enforcing speed limits has netted 5,231 citations. Police used both stationary and moving radar as well as aircraft (to time vehicles) to catch speeders. Besides speeding tickets police also issued hundreds of reckless driving citations while looking for speeders. Police targeted Interstate's 81 and 95 near Radford University.

The crackdown came about because Virginia auto related deaths were raising (642 deaths in 2005 out of 17,608 crashes). During the campaign there were only 25 crashes on over 500 miles of interstate highway. The crackdown is expected to reduce the numbers for 2006.

Timing speeders with an aircraft (fixed wing or helicopter) is very expensive, especially when compared to running radar. Radar will also catch more speeders and is much easier to deploy and use.

CopRadar

The Royal Cayman Islands police recently purchased 26 new vehicles and 5 motorcycles. The new police vehicles are unmarked and intended mainly for traffic enforcement. The unmarked cars are equipped with flashing headlamps, covert blue lights, sirens, and of course radar.

Police are aware many drivers slow down when police are present, and speed up when out of sight of the police. Cayman Island police intend to position an unmarked vehicle down the road from a marked vehicle to catch these speeders. The unmarked police vehicle will be watching for speeders and anyone warning other motorists a police radar vehicle is in the area (such as by flashing headlights). NOTE -- you can be arrested in the Cayman Islands for warning other motorists (by flashing headlights, etc.) of police running radar.

CopRadar

In Crystal River, Florida two lidars (laser radars) were improperly calibrated between November 2004 and February 2006 (16 months). Police claim they do not know and cannot determine how many speeding tickets were issued during the questionable time period. However Florida state rules require all lidar use be logged.

Florida state rules regarding the RANGE the lidar should be calibrated before and after use changed (probably increased the testing range) in November 2004. Crystal River police discovered the problem after a court challenge on February 10, 2006. The police chief didn't acknowledge the problem until October 12, 2006 (8 months later). The accuracy of the lidars and validity of tickets issued during the 1 year 4 month period are now in serious question.

CopRadar

Until recently the city of Chicago operated a limited number of police radars (all fixed mounted microwave systems). Police state they had about a dozen radars, at least one city alderman claims police only had 3 to 5 radars at most.

In early September police started using newly purchased lidars (laser radars) most vigorously. Approximately 1,800 speeding tickets have been issued so far. Almost 500 tickets were issued during a 2 week period in the Northwest Side District (16th District) alone.

Police have formed a special task force for traffic enforcement. The newly formed traffic enforcement team is called the TARGETED TRAFFIC TEAM, or T3 for short. T3 will have a number of lidars and can operate in any of Chicago's 25 police districts. Also plans include each police district have at least one lidar. It is estimated police currently have about 15 lidars, and plan to purchase an additional 50 lidars (for a total of about 60 lidars).

A number of media outlets reporting on the Chicago lidars state lidars are more accurate than radars (microwave). This is not true. Lidars can be more selective at short range, but are not any more accurate than microwave radar. Also lidars work best at relatively short ranges (less than about 800 to 1000 feet). Lidars cannot be operated from a moving patrol car.

CopRadar

Recently RadarGuns.com has published on the Internet an excellent and detailed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list about microwave radar and lidar (laser radar). Radar Guns FAQ not only addresses the most common questions and misconceptions about speed measuring radar/lidar, the page clears up typical confusion regarding microwave radar and lidar differences.

You can view the FAQ list by going to
http://www.radarguns.com/radar-guns-faq.html

If you have a question that the FAQ does not address you can post a comment with your question(s) here. You can also get answers to your radar and lidar questions at the radarplanet.com forum at http://www.radarplanet.com/ (also see the link button located near the top left of this page).

CopRadar

Local merchants have complained for years about speeding traffic in front of their shops on 23rd Street in San Pablo, California. Customers complain to shop owners of fear in crossing the street because of speeders. Three of the top ten worse intersections (traffic collisions) are on 23rd Street (at San Pablo, Dover and Market avenues). The street (23rd) also has a school zone (25 mph limit) for Richmond High School and a business zone.

Merchants organized to request police enforce speed limits -- and police have finally listened. Police will run radar regularly until motorist get the message -- slow down. In August and September police issued over 200 tickets (most were speeding tickets).

Why did it take pressure from local merchants for police to act? Should police concentrate on writing tickets, or should police make their presence known? Most people automatically slow down (speeding or not) when police are visible.

CopRadar

Near Raleigh, NC 20 microwave radars have been installed on a busy 27 mile stretch of I-40 from the Chapel Hill exit (US 15/501) to the Lake Wheeler Road Exit. That averages a radar every 2.7 miles (10 radars for each direction of traffic for 27 miles). All 20 radars continuously transmit and are intended to measure traffic flow, not catch speeders.

With so many radars so close to each other many radar detectors will be alerting drivers of the signals most, if not all, of the 27 mile stretch.

Police will also have to be careful when running a microwave speed radar. Two radars relatively close to each other and transmitting at or near the same frequency will interfere with each other. The interference should be detected by the police radar. However if the interference is intermittent it may be missed or not detected (missed or false speed readings). The traffic flow radars may be interfered with causing missed or false readings completely unknown to those monitoring traffic flow.

CopRadar