The emergency lights activated on a Pennsylvania State Police SUV. Credit: LevittownNow.com/PA Internet News Service
The Pennsylvania State Police showed off a suite of high-tech patrol vehicle upgrades earlier this month.
At a demonstration at the agency’s transportation facility near Harrisburg, officials showcased equipment designed to improve safety for both troopers and motorists by increasing the “emergency warning window.”
“Motorists now receive more advanced notice which can be crucial during emergency responses,” said Lt. Col. George Bivens, acting state police commissioner.
The fleet’s centerpiece is a new 51-inch tri-color LED light bar. The V-shaped design provides a 360-degree output to offer better visibility at angles where traditional linear bars often fail. The system utilizes GPS-based vehicle-to-vehicle communication to automatically synchronize flash patterns and voice commands across multiple units at a single scene.
“When multiple state police units respond to an incident, their light bars automatically synchronize voice commands and flash patterns, maximizing visibility and scene safety,” Bivens said.
The “smart concepts” approach, as described by Capt. George Ritchey, director of radio and fleet technology, includes several automated features to keep troopers and drivers safe.
The new light bar on marked vehicles acts as an additional brake light during hard stops and can instantly transform into an arrow board to direct traffic.
In low-light conditions, the bar dims while parked to reduce glare for passing drivers and improve night vision for troopers.
Brighter takedown and alley lights feature a “flood mode” for certain environments, which will aid troopers in moments when more light is needed.
State Police (Credit: PA Internet News Service)The upgrades also address the challenge of alerting drivers in modern, soundproof vehicles.
A new 400-watt siren system includes a low-frequency “rumbler” that allows nearby motorists to feel vibrations in addition to hearing the siren.
Bivens told reporters the system delivers up to 10 additional decibels of sound pressure inside nearby vehicles.
“That rumbler and that extra siren boost really helps people see or hear you coming a lot better,” Ritchey said.
Inside the cabin, troopers now use modernized control panels featuring automated voice commands in English and Spanish for traffic stops and warrant executions. Other additions include magnetic microphone mounts, in-car printers for citations, and remote light bar operation via key fobs.
The agency is also applying a “tiered approach” to light placement, Ritchey said.
By positioning more lights at lower levels, the vehicles are more visible to drivers in smaller, lower-sitting cars.
Unmarked vehicles are receiving slimmer, more discreet lighting to maintain a low profile for specialized operations.
The fleet modernization comes as the agency transitions its patrol vehicles back to a white color scheme after several years of using a special gray.
Capt. Brian Wolfe, director of transportation for the state police, said his division processed more than 800 new vehicles last year.
To remain cost-effective, the agency reuses nearly all vehicle technology, including radios.
When a trooper receives a new SUV, vendors can swap the technology from the old vehicle in about two hours, officials explained.
The department expects the upgrades to save more than $3 million in equipment and upfitting costs over the next five years.
The technology will be phased into the entire fleet, which includes Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Durango, and Ford Interceptor Utility models, as older, high-mileage units are retired from service.
Beyond standard patrol cars, the agency is replacing its two large RV-style command trucks with 850-square-foot tractor-trailers equipped with tethered drones capable of flying for days at a time.
“We ensure every product coming out of this garage is safe for the members out on the road as we would drive it ourselves,” Wolfe said.
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