Editor’s note: This article is part of Police1’s Vehicles Week, which explores how patrol vehicles have become one of the most important tools officers use every shift. Throughout the series, we’ll examine vehicle interiors, fleet trends, officer feedback and practical resources to better understand how today’s patrol vehicles are evolving to support policing. Thanks to our Vehicles Week sponsor, Setina.
Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series on patrol vehicle warning systems. In Part 1, John Hearne examined common lighting mistakes that can reduce visibility and officer safety.
By John Hearne
Installing quality warning lights and sirens is only part of the equation. Many of today’s systems include factory features and capabilities that can improve officer safety, reduce driver workload and make patrol vehicles more effective. The problem is that many of those features are never connected, programmed or fully utilized during the upfit process.
This article looks at some of the most commonly overlooked features and installation practices that can help agencies get more from the equipment they already own.
100- vs. 200-watt sirens
What do fire trucks and ambulances require by national standards that most police vehicles do not? The use of 200-watt sirens.
Most modern sirens are capable of producing 200 watts of output and simply require a second speaker to do so. The cost of adding a second speaker is minimal, often around $100, but it can dramatically increase the audible footprint of the vehicle, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Don’t make the common mistake of assuming that a second speaker increases output by only a few decibels. The decibel scale is logarithmic, so even a small increase represents a significant increase in sound output.
Failing to connect factory features
We’ve all watched the end of a police pursuit where officers struggle to give commands over sirens that were never turned off. This is largely avoidable thanks to a nearly universal feature called park kill.
Available on most sirens since the 1990s, park kill automatically turns off the siren when the vehicle is shifted into park.
Horn-ring control is another siren feature that is frequently overlooked. It allows officers to control the siren by pressing the horn on the steering wheel instead of reaching for a button or dial on the siren controller. Officers already have to remove one hand from the steering wheel to use the radio. Controlling the siren, however, can be done with both hands on the wheel if the horn-ring feature is connected.
Another factory feature that is often ignored is the low-power mode available on many modern warning lights. Lights bright enough to be seen in full daylight can be blinding to approaching traffic at night. Many contemporary lightbars include an input that automatically reduces light output after dark, making it easier for motorists to safely pass a stopped emergency vehicle.
If the vehicle has an external lightbar, agencies should also remember that auxiliary white lights, such as takedown and alley lights, can often be programmed to flash. Ensuring these features are wired and active while the vehicle is in motion is a simple way to get more from equipment the agency already owns, provided state law allows flashing white lights.
Better yet, connect park kill, low-power mode and auxiliary lighting to a smart controller that automatically selects the most appropriate lighting configuration based on the vehicle’s operating conditions.
Another often-overlooked factory feature is secure idle (sometimes called safe idle). On many vehicles, basic wiring and an inexpensive switch allow the engine to continue running after the key has been removed from the ignition. This can eliminate the need for a much more expensive aftermarket solution.
One final installation detail is worth mentioning. Internal lightbars typically include a rubber gasket designed to seal the gap between the lightbar and the windshield. Unfortunately, many installers discard the gasket during installation. Besides increasing flashback at night, failing to install the gasket can allow the lightbar to rattle against the glass if the mounting brackets are not properly adjusted.
Using smart controllers
Beginning with the Florida Highway Patrol lighting study in 2004, agencies and researchers have continued to build a better understanding of what makes emergency lighting effective. One of the clearest findings is that the most effective lighting configuration for a vehicle responding with lights and siren is often different from the best configuration for a vehicle parked on the roadside.
For that reason, using a system that allows warning-light colors and flash patterns to change based on operating conditions is essential.
While creative wiring can create multiple modes with legacy controllers, today’s smart controller systems provide much greater flexibility and can significantly improve officer safety. Every major emergency warning equipment manufacturer offers a version of this technology, including SoundOff Signal’s bluePRINT, Federal Signal’s Pathfinder, Whelen’s Core and Carbide systems, and Code 3’s Matrix.
Smart controllers also simplify the wiring process, particularly when building multiple vehicles with the same configuration. When properly installed, they control each lighthead individually and can automatically adjust lighting based on what the vehicle is doing, especially when integrated with systems that read vehicle data through the OBD port.
If changes are needed across an agency’s fleet, they can often be made through programming rather than rewiring. Smart controllers also make it easier to incorporate features such as additional brake lights within the lightbar, turn signals repeated through traffic advisors and automatic nighttime dimming.
Most importantly, they automate many lighting decisions, allowing officers to focus on driving safely and managing the incident while the vehicle selects the most appropriate warning configuration.
Installer considerations
One of the biggest obstacles to avoiding these mistakes is finding a qualified installer.
The quality of emergency vehicle installers varies considerably, and agencies have few reliable ways to evaluate their knowledge and experience. Many of the problems discussed in this article result from installers cutting corners to reduce costs without considering the impact those decisions have on officer safety. Agencies sometimes rely on a municipal garage to save money only to end up with many of the same shortcomings.
Traditional radio shops often offer installation services, but their expertise is usually focused on communications equipment rather than warning lights and sirens. They may be highly capable of wiring lights and switches but have limited experience designing a complete emergency warning system that supports how officers actually use the vehicle.
If a radio shop is selected, agencies should provide clear specifications and performance expectations before work begins.
It is also worthwhile to visit prospective installers in person. Seeing how organized the shop is and how professionally the work is performed can reveal a great deal about the quality of the finished product. One such visit proved valuable when this author discovered that the shop’s primary technician was wearing an ankle monitor and working under probation supervision.
Final thoughts
Effective warning lights and sirens are among the most important officer safety tools on a patrol vehicle. Getting the most from them requires more than purchasing quality equipment. It also requires taking advantage of factory features, programming options and smart controller technology that are often overlooked during the upfit process.
By understanding what today’s warning systems are capable of and working with a knowledgeable installer, agencies can improve officer safety while getting more value from the equipment they already own.
About the author
John Hearne is a retired federal law enforcement officer whose public safety career spanned more than 35 years. For much of that career, he designed, built and specified equipment for emergency vehicles, ultimately serving on his agency’s national advisory board on vehicle equipment. He was an early adopter and tester of smart controller systems and later oversaw their implementation across a fleet of more than 20 vehicles.
