Greg, this truck was slated for SWAT but it did not fit their criteria. It was recently assigned to TRU and has been marked and retrofitted as an incident response vehicle. We will try and get you a picture of it soon.

The CPD can NOT take much credit for the recent vehicle puchases. The City of Chicago's Fleet Management took over the Electronic and Motor Maintainence division about two years ago. Since then...They (Fleet) have been very aggressive in leading the CPD into the 21st Century with current technology. I would have to say that the only poor choice of that "Fleet" has made so far is the purchase of the Impalas. By the way this is the last year for them and all of the Impalas for this year will not have cages and are intended for supervisors. I'm happy the see the recent purchases of The New Dive truck, The New B.A.T. Mobile, The New Light truck assigned to S.O.S., The New War Wagon, The Tahoes, The Mounted Unit's New Excursions, The Code Three L.E.D. lightbars and interiors light for all new vehicles including unmarked cars. The Bomb Squad just received some new Tahoes (unmarked) and The Tahoes pictured above are issued to each district as beat cars. Thanks Greg for your pictures...and pass the thanks along to Fleet for bringing us into the 21st century!

What year did the Chicago Police start using the light bar on the squad cars and using a sticker for the motto "We serve and protect" instead of painting it on the door?

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1971 saw the first Mars lightbars on a few cars. More were added each year and by 1974, all new cars came with the Mars bars. The fender sticker first appeared in 1972 and was used until the department switched to white cars in 1975.

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Hey if I am right, I remember seeing this at the 2005 Taste of Chicago...


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Since we've had this truck in service since 1987, I'm sure you may have.

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Upon a close inspection of this photo, it appears the spotlight has the "Officer Safety" infared light beam attachment. Or is it a camera?

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It's an infrared camera. There is a close up of it in one of the other photos on this page.

Greg

Is this the new graphic design for the Chicago police cars?

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No. CPD has no plan on changing their markings. This is the company's demonstrator truck for the technology corporation that sells license plate automatic identfier cameras. The Tahoe is currently on loan for equipment evaluation purposes. The POLICE lettering and stripes were already on the Tahoe. "CHICAGO" was added as well as a few CPD style decals and vehicle number.

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

I cant remember the Dept. buying so many different squads,,Ah I recall the days when i was a young rook and i wanted a car that had the strobes !! now I have a choice of so many lights and cars/suvs !!!!

I seem to remember only the early Whelen bars to have only 2 rear strobes and the front having 4.Was I right ???

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Most all of the current fleet cars with the Whelen lights still only have two wired blue strobes facing the rear.


Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

what size motors did the CPD use ? Seems like the CPD always tries to save money.Does that mean a V6 or the smaller 305 or the 350.Thanks
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All marked cars in the CPD fleet since 1971 have had V8s. The full size Chevrolets had 350s up until the fuel-injected Caprices of the late 80s, which had the smaller V8. We never had any LT1s.


Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Ahmed, read the description, it's an airport car and the 3rd light (red) was required.

Yep, at earliest 1987, as that was the first year for the strobe bar.

This looks like a traffic patrol car from the 1980's. Never saw a lightbar combination like that, nor did I know that the CPD bought from Chevy in 1986. I don't even remember these cars when I was little.

What year was this picture taken? My guess is the late 80's, due to what looks like a late 80's styled Caprice in the background, and the Ford LTD at the right.

Why is it that you people see a MOVIE and think the cars are straight from the department. Movie cars are JUST THAT.... made up for the movie!

In "Running Scared", there were several 'R' body Chryslers in Chicago trim. (Most notably the 1979-1981 stylrd Plymouth Gran Fury.) I thought the CPD stopped buying Chryslers after 1978.

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I have photos of the R-body movie cars you're referring to in this album. Back in 1984, I worked for the production company that built and maintained those cars. They were repainted every couple of months whenever a new film was being shot in town. They were used in many movies. They were not former Chicago PD cars. Some were police package cars while others where just regular sedans.

Greg
copcar dot com

The Officer on the right is the great John Pappas.

Looks like you've got both Greg. The two bikes in the front and the one in the rear right are Harleys. They have the wider front fender, flat wide handlebars and the blue lettering on the windshield. The bike in the rear left is a Honda. It has red lettering and narrow handlebars with a slight rise.

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Thanks, Larry

Greg
copcar dot com

Many MSP Troop F (Logan Airport Barracks) do have lightbars with a single rear facing red strobe which car be turned on separate for the blue lights. Vehicles not normally assigned to or purchased for use at that Barrack might not have this.

I think that this light bar should reduce wind drag and some of these I have see has a brighter lighting for officer safety then older code 3 bars.

Sharp looking ride there. Just out of curiousity, why are there two different numbers on the car?

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The numbers on the fender are nothing more than the PD's serial number assigned to that particular piece of property- which happens to be a car. The number on the black tag is the beat number (radio call sign). The beat tag can be put on any vehicle depending on what type the officer is driving that day (Ford, Chevy, car, truck or van).

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com