The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good…
I had the privilege to ride along with an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer in the North District, “beat” 31.
With over 30 years of experience in vehicle engineering and automotive electronics, I was sure I knew the definition of multi-tasking. However after responding to several emergency calls, one of which reportedly involved weapons, I now have an even better appreciation for the human ability to perform more than one task at the same time, as well as an officer’s ability to do it all in extreme conditions and under a tremendous amount of stress.
The Bad…
With over 160,000 miles on it, my first impression of the ‘office space’ I would be sharing for the next several hours was that it looked tired and beat-up, like Rocky Balboa after a boxing match. I am sure that in its day this was a good platform for first responder transportation. But by today’s standards it was sluggish to accelerate and awkwardly lumbered around corners – hardly up to the task.
While prying bits of the dashboard and door trim from my fingernails after a particularly urgent response, I happened to observe that a cruiser’s visibility is one of the most important features when responding to an emergency. The emergency light bar on this car was not very bright, constantly creating pucker factors that would rival the best theme park rides, especially at intersections. The white take-down and alley lights were not adequate either. Luckily, the spot lamp mounted on the A-pillar could be used for those functions. And the metal handle used to manually adjust it protruded dangerously into the cabin, adding even more excitement to the daily ride. The siren had several modes that required manual changes while driving, talking on the radio, and carefully monitoring everything else on the road.
Another critical function is communications. The IMPD officer was equipped with a portable land mobile radio (LMR) that he wore on his duty belt. This configuration required him to respond to dispatch by keying the push to talk (PTT) button on his belt and listening to the overcrowded dispatch communications that did not pertain to him or his immediate situation. It was not convenient or safe to communicate to dispatch or other officers using the LMR in this manner.
An extension of the communications system is the mobile data terminal (MDT). The MDT is essentially a laptop mounted to a swivel between the instrument panel and the front seat. My first thought was “what if the airbags deploy? I will have Dell™ permanently impressed on my forehead.” The IMPD officer constantly checked his and bordering beats on the MDT and responded to calls by keying in his status. The MDT was also used for documenting reports – a task I found to be cumbersome when the vehicle did not have connectivity with the IMPD data network hot spot. I’m surprised we don’t see these makeshift Frisbees flying along the roadside.
The trunk and rear seat compartment were completely full with court records, policy & procedural manuals, code books, water rescue gear, nuclear bio-hazard suit, SWAT gear, flares, etc., etc., etc. Apparently, this first responder studied and understood the quantum mechanical principle formulated by Wolfgang Pauli and as a result, he did not attempt to transport suspects. He would call upon the assistance of a colleague to provide transportation for those in need of a one-way taxi.
The Ugly…
In one emergency response situation the IMPD officer needed to respond to dispatch on the LMR, indicate status on the MDT’s computer aided dispatch system, manually cycle through the siren modes and drive… all at the same time! Luckily I could not read the speedometer as it was blocked by the MDT (and occasionally the hands over my eyes).
If we expect law enforcement first responders to protect and serve, we should expect no less from the equipment they use. If today’s equipment (capability and capacity) is intended to protect our law enforcement and assist in accomplishing this life-threatening mission, then the status for our homeland security is quite ugly.
Lawrence R Kennedy
Director ORCA Technology
Carbon Motors Corporation
Tagged: police, police car, carbon motors, indianapolis, ride along, bmw, green, sustainable, homeland security, e7, atvmip, atvmlp, ford, taurus, interceptor, chevrolet, chevy, caprice, dodge, charger, section 136, jobs, economic, development, connersville, indiana, cop, cops, cop car, cop cars, purpose built, law enforcement, patrol, patrol vehicle
Comments
Great article! Congratulations! you have just ridden along with 90% of real working street cops from all over America! I've been a street cop for 19 of my 25yrs and currently an FTO..you couldnt have said it better...
Mr. Kennedy, Imagine your experience if you had been given the opportunity to ride along with an officer NOT as finely equipped as IMPD? Believe me, there are more officers getting by with less than you might think. Thanks, Tom (26+ years, most of them in a marked patrol unit)
Fittingly I had this discussion with my son-in-law who is also an IMPD officer just this past weekend. The amount of "multi-tasking" required of these first responders is incredible!
I'm glad to see cops with 25+ years coming to this site to see the cars that are designed just for them, and not just some other LE vehicle that comes off the assembly line then gets all the add-ons. You guys know what you need, and I hope you get it! These cars are cool, and it looks like they work for you, not with you! I would say you get a partner with one of these! With this company's focus, can you imagine the innovations to come! - A big auto boy will not do a ride-along to be innovative towards what you need, because they don't make the add-on's, and can't change the structure to fit what is needed because it's to costly. They can only put a few band-aides on what they make, then have to compete with each other to get the order so they have to cut back on what is really needed. Best of luck to you guys.
I'm happy to know that at least some people who development equipment for law enforcement actually take the time to see how it is actually applied in the real world, rather than trying to come up with a product whose usage the developer has no clue about. If a developer wants to improve an aircraft or a vessel, would the developer ask for ideas exclusively from people who have never flown or boated before? Certainly not, and developers of tomorrow's law enforcement vehicles and equipment should seek ideas from those who have actually experienced the shortcomings of those of today.
I am married to a deputy sheriff and worked for GM for many years. After my first ride along, I was amazed at how standard civilian vehicles are altered in an attempt to make them work in the tough environment that is police work. Having been on the inside of GM and seen the incredible amount of engineering that goes into making all the various systems operate together and provide the required crash safety it boggled my mind to imagine how MDT's and barriers and radios and shotguns and all the other various equipment added to a patrol car impact occupant safety. It seems obvious, to me at least, that only a purpose built vehicle could provide the safety and operability that the police and security forces deserve.
Thank you Carbon Motors! From a police officer, you are building my Wheels of Survival! Thank You!
Hi. I have been a big suporter of carbon motors. I went to all rallys and think it will be a good thing for connersville. The only question i HAVE IS How do all of us afford a collage degree? I have 3 kids in collage. I have been running a printing press for 30 years and I'm 46 years old. I believe i can be a asset to carbon. I'm good on machines and a computer. I loose because i have no money to get a degree. Was all my time and effort at the rallies a waste of time? or did i just help others and leave myself to stay poor? please one of carbon members e mail me and tell me.
Throw in a rookie and it is super multi-tasking while watching a child in a mall. It amazes me after 22 years in Law Enforcement how little support we actually have. Hopefully times are changing.
Mr. Jordan - Thank you for your note and for your ongoing support and interest in Carbon Motors! We admire your desire to seek the appropriate help in understanding what Carbon Motors is looking for and how to achieve it. Others resorted to complaining, while you took a more positive and proactive approach - you are to be commended for that! Indiana's WorkOne recommends that you take a few minutes to meet with one of their Career Counselors to discuss the possibilities for you and your particular situation. They may also have a step by step guide available for possibly obtaining financial assistance for school. There are many variables that must be considered when applying for this assistance. For example, do you have a high school diploma? Do you have credentials/certifications which will make you more marketable? Will you be able to go to school and hold a full time job? Are you a veteran? Etc… Basically, there is time to work on this and we trust that you will seize the opportunity to meet with the staff at WorkOne and see what help they may be able to provide.
Imagine we have worked like that for 20 plus years. As I was looking at the company bio, I saw that many of its officers were from Ford. Well, as I said earlier, I have been in LE since 1983 and most of those years have been patrolling in a Ford. I would have thought that with this current version of Crown Vic that Ford would have fixed the flaws that every officer I know complain about such as; weak rears, A/C units, over-heating, window control switch plates coming out and transmissions breaking would have been corrected. My concern being is the E7 going to have the same approach to patrol vehicles as Ford? Example; looking at the car, the most obvious flaw are the obvious off the shelf “wagon wheels.” I am concerned that the E7 is just another Ford Crown Vic with a pretty face.
Have you ever truly watched your wife handle the household? Talk about a wonderful multi-tasker, my wife is awesome at it. The only difference is "the pucker factor" and the risk involved. Law enforcement has been my career for 23 years and my biggest fear has been while I ride inside my vehicle. Outside the vehicle, I am well prepared, but inside, there are way to many "could go wrong" distractions. Nice article...I am glad to see someone is genuinely concerned.
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