Who decides what type of equipment goes inside/outside of a Police Cruiser?

Question

I'm just curious about who makes that call when it come to buying light bars, computers, push bars, etc for police cruisers?

Answer 1

Hey I do thet for my agency.

Usually someone in the organization has an interest and they let guys run with it.  I research and recommend purchase on lightbars - we use the Federal Signal Arjent bar, radars - Decatur Electronics - In car video - AMR Corp, and MDT's Motorola and Panasonic.  Although I recommend products after research - the big guys at the top makes the final choice.

Answer 2

Everything you described is generally decided upon by the police department's administration. Officers with take home cars may be allowed to modify their cars a bit...however, the "major" equipment is decided upon by the "brass"

Answer 3

In most agencies there is a purchasing department.  They are told to buy something, like light bars.  They get the specifications from the person in charge, Chief, Major, Captain, or whoever heads the comittee.  These specs then go out for bid, and the lowest bidder that meets specs wins.

Answer 4

Here in Canada, there are "standards " for all Police departments regarding the colour, type and size of  the patrol cars. The RCMP has a national car appearance standard, so a Royal Canadian Mounted Police car is exactly  the same, in apperance, right across the country. After all they are our "National Police Service "

Local city departments  also have to follow the standards, for car colours  and car size. Lights are standard across Canada, red and blue. and all cars have to have reflective lettering  on all four sides. The standard colour is white, with horizontal red yellow and blue stripes. The standard car is the Ford Crown Vic or the Chevy Malibu. Most have divider  screens and dead lock rear doors.

Un- like the USA, Canada has a national  Police computer system that links EVERY Police service in the country, in real time. It is the CPIC sysyem, first in service in 1980. CPIC allows a individual Constable , in his car, to send a message to any other individual officer, any where in Canada. It also gives him criminal  records for the entire country, as well as driver records and stolen items, all in under a minute. Warrants, immigration deportation orders, tatoo and nick name files, missing persons nationally, and VIN numbers, all are on CPIC.

Jim B.  

Answer 5

The Chief of Police for that department.