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Great
Maybe a WTLW, but who cares, it's new to me!
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Clark County News
That hot Subaru is really driven by traffic cops
03/05/03
HOLLEY GILBERT
VANCOUVER -- Question: What is creamy yellow, has a hood scoop and trunk wing, and goes from zero to 60 in six seconds?
From Our Advertiser
Answer: The newest addition to the Vancouver Police Department's traffic unit.
The bright 2002 Subaru WRX Impreza is a noticeable break from the unmarked silver, dark blue or black Ford Crown Victorias traffic officers traditionally drive. And that's the point.
The hip-looking little four-door will blend in with every other hot-wheeled car on the road. And the standard 227-horsepower engine is just the thing to keep up with them.
"We have a lot of people nowadays who aren't afraid to run from us and have cars capable of it," Officer Steve Capellas said. "This will allow us to stay with them longer. We'll be able to catch up with them more easily."
The Impreza, on loan for six months from Subaru of America in Portland, will test whether a car with a popular look can boost safety on city streets.
Vancouver police said they didn't want to keep the car a secret. But they hope it will be so inconspicuous (and frankly, forgotten) that it will prove an effective way to catch drivers who only temporarily clean up their acts when they see a traditional police car.
"It's really an innovative idea to ensure the safety of citizens," said Sgt. Timothy Kim, unveiling the Impreza during a news conference Tuesday.
The "blaze yellow" car, one of 500 made, is among the 58,000 Subarus that arrive through the Port of Vancouver annually from Japan, said Scott Haugen, the carmaker's regional sales manager.
Loaning the car was a way to give back to the community, he said.
"The driving characteristics of the vehicle allow (police) to achieve their objectives in a wider range of circumstances," Haugen said, noting that the compact Subaru will outperform a larger Crown Victoria.
"This is the car we're selling the kids," Haugen said. "It's a high-performance vehicle right out of the box."
Officer Jim White smiled. "I caught a Corvette in it Friday night," he said.
Capellas said he reached 125 mph without much effort last week while training at Portland International Raceway.
The turbo-charged Subaru -- priced at $25,000 and most often bought by men younger than 35 -- brings to six the number of unmarked cars Vancouver traffic officers drive.
Soon, the traffic unit will get two Ford Expeditions, one gray, one blue, and identifiable as police rigs only by the lights mounted inside and decals on the rear side windows.
The number of people in the unit also has grown over the past year from one sergeant and five officers to two sergeants and nine officers.
"The more enforcement you do, it's going to have an impact on the number of lives saved," Kim said.
In 2002, traffic officers wrote 17,000 tickets and followed up on 530 telephone complaints. Citizens can call the unit's hot line at 360-619-4101 to report traffic problems.
Traffic officers will track the number and type of stops they make in the Impreza. If the car helps boost enforcement numbers, the department could permanently add one to its fleet.
Yes, the idea of using such a civilian-looking car is a bit stealthy, police acknowledged. But the driver will always be wearing a uniform.
So, if an almost-banana-colored Impreza pulls behind you with red and blue lights flashing near the rearview mirror and in the back window, do pull over, Kim said. It really is the police. Holley Gilbert: 360-896-5721 or 503-294-5900; holleygilbert@news.oregonian.com
http://www.oregonlive.com/metronorth...6925542610.xml
Clark County News
That hot Subaru is really driven by traffic cops
03/05/03
HOLLEY GILBERT
VANCOUVER -- Question: What is creamy yellow, has a hood scoop and trunk wing, and goes from zero to 60 in six seconds?
From Our Advertiser
Answer: The newest addition to the Vancouver Police Department's traffic unit.
The bright 2002 Subaru WRX Impreza is a noticeable break from the unmarked silver, dark blue or black Ford Crown Victorias traffic officers traditionally drive. And that's the point.
The hip-looking little four-door will blend in with every other hot-wheeled car on the road. And the standard 227-horsepower engine is just the thing to keep up with them.
"We have a lot of people nowadays who aren't afraid to run from us and have cars capable of it," Officer Steve Capellas said. "This will allow us to stay with them longer. We'll be able to catch up with them more easily."
The Impreza, on loan for six months from Subaru of America in Portland, will test whether a car with a popular look can boost safety on city streets.
Vancouver police said they didn't want to keep the car a secret. But they hope it will be so inconspicuous (and frankly, forgotten) that it will prove an effective way to catch drivers who only temporarily clean up their acts when they see a traditional police car.
"It's really an innovative idea to ensure the safety of citizens," said Sgt. Timothy Kim, unveiling the Impreza during a news conference Tuesday.
The "blaze yellow" car, one of 500 made, is among the 58,000 Subarus that arrive through the Port of Vancouver annually from Japan, said Scott Haugen, the carmaker's regional sales manager.
Loaning the car was a way to give back to the community, he said.
"The driving characteristics of the vehicle allow (police) to achieve their objectives in a wider range of circumstances," Haugen said, noting that the compact Subaru will outperform a larger Crown Victoria.
"This is the car we're selling the kids," Haugen said. "It's a high-performance vehicle right out of the box."
Officer Jim White smiled. "I caught a Corvette in it Friday night," he said.
Capellas said he reached 125 mph without much effort last week while training at Portland International Raceway.
The turbo-charged Subaru -- priced at $25,000 and most often bought by men younger than 35 -- brings to six the number of unmarked cars Vancouver traffic officers drive.
Soon, the traffic unit will get two Ford Expeditions, one gray, one blue, and identifiable as police rigs only by the lights mounted inside and decals on the rear side windows.
The number of people in the unit also has grown over the past year from one sergeant and five officers to two sergeants and nine officers.
"The more enforcement you do, it's going to have an impact on the number of lives saved," Kim said.
In 2002, traffic officers wrote 17,000 tickets and followed up on 530 telephone complaints. Citizens can call the unit's hot line at 360-619-4101 to report traffic problems.
Traffic officers will track the number and type of stops they make in the Impreza. If the car helps boost enforcement numbers, the department could permanently add one to its fleet.
Yes, the idea of using such a civilian-looking car is a bit stealthy, police acknowledged. But the driver will always be wearing a uniform.
So, if an almost-banana-colored Impreza pulls behind you with red and blue lights flashing near the rearview mirror and in the back window, do pull over, Kim said. It really is the police. Holley Gilbert: 360-896-5721 or 503-294-5900; holleygilbert@news.oregonian.com
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