By Shaun Nestor
A conversation popped up recently about a growing trend in some agencies: patrol officers driving around with their emergency lights on steady-burn “cruise mode.”
Not flashing.
Not on a stop.
Not on a call.
Just … on.
At first, I caught myself thinking the same thing many others did: “This feels dumb.”
But I try not to stop at my first reaction. So I asked myself the harder question: “Why does it feel dumb? Is there any legitimate upside I might be missing?”
After sitting with it, here’s where I landed.
It breaks a long-standing cue for the public
In the U.S., emergency lights = pull over or yield. If we start using them for routine patrol, we dilute a signal that actually matters for safety.
It removes real tactical advantages
Stealth, observation and approaching problem areas discreetly are foundational patrol skills. Driving around lit up defeats those advantages.
The claimed benefits seem rooted more in “Idea Fairy” logic than data
I’m open to being proven wrong — but I haven’t seen any research showing crime drops or community trust increases because a patrol car is glowing blue at all times.
There are good uses for steady-burn lights … they just aren’t this
- Stationary in high-crime areas
- Visibility on traffic scenes
- Special details or events
Those make sense. Cruising with them on? Still struggling to find a compelling rationale.
The bigger issue
When policing shifts long-established norms, we need to be intentional — not reactionary — because the public takes cues from us whether we realize it or not. If agencies have data showing this trend improves safety, deterrence, or community perception, I’d genuinely love to read it. Until then, I think it creates more confusion than clarity.
I am curious where others land on this — have you seen this implemented, and has it actually helped?
Share your thoughts on this topic below.
Police1 readers respond
- Coming from the days of the street hawk lights. I loved the cruise mode ability. They have advantages to be certain but just driving around constantly with them...dumb. That’s why we have marked units in the first place to be seen by the public to make them feel safe, no need to have those lights on. What’s next — driving with the siren on also? That will really get us noticed.
- It all depends on your agency. I’ve worked with a city municipality and it was not a common practice to cruise around with your steady blue lights except for the aforementioned in the article. I work for a university now and it is a common practice for the agency I currently work for. This is for visibility. The students and staff want to see us around so they feel safe.
- I do occasionally ride with my cruise lights. It is helpful during morning and afternoon traffic congestion. I see it encourages the impatient to slow down a little. As the author pointed out about high-crime areas, I will ride with cruise lights in a neighborhood to ease the mind of the widow who is worried all the time. It is a tactic of community policing.
- In my professional opinion, the use of “cruise lights” is highly effective in patrol environments where officers are responsible for large stretches of roadway and dense traffic conditions. The steady illumination clearly signals to the motoring public that a marked patrol vehicle is present in the area, which can have a proactive impact on incidents of road rage, speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving and other behaviors that impede the safe flow of traffic. In simple terms, the lights remind drivers to yield when appropriate, pay attention and remain mindful of other roadway users.
- In the early 1980s, my department’s cars were fitted with roof bars with flashing lights that also had a police sign (white letters on black background), which was supposed to be illuminated at night. Often at night, especially in wet weather, people would try to hail us thinking the squad car was a taxi. Most police chose to turn them off for stealth reasons. The “halo” effect occurs regardless by marked cars but doesn’t last long, ie., drivers and the general public tend to behave when they see a police car. The signs were phased out as different roof bars were introduced. Slow burn lights on the new enclosed roof bars was considered but not implemented. Marked cars with high visibility reflective markings are likely to be just as effective with better benefits for officer safety.
- Honestly, I’m a fan of steady-burn cruise lights. They make patrol cars more visible, reduce the “jump scare” factor of stealth units and help the public instantly recognize who’s in the area. With so many agencies shifting toward blackout cars, ghost graphics and Knight Rider–style light bars, policing has started to look more militant and less approachable. Cruise lights actually push in the opposite direction — they signal presence, reassurance and accountability instead of surprise enforcement. A soft steady-burn doesn’t feel aggressive; it feels like, “Hey, we’re here if you need us.” In a time when trust is everything, that kind of visibility matters.
- In the agency I retired from this began when the “I don’t want to deal with complaints” faction was promoted high enough to force it. “Criminals won’t commit crimes if they see the police coming and then you won’t get into a use of force or generate a complaint.”
- The question that hasn’t been asked is who is telling them to do this? I’m sure someone came up with this idea and put it out there to their officers to do.
- In my old division, the higher ups had us doing this at night and called it HIDE. They believed that by doing it at night in high crime areas it would alert criminals to our being nearby and make them go somewhere else to commit their illegal activities. During this we would take a smaller call load and our sister car had to pick up the slack per the captains orders. We all thought it was dumb.
- I see no benefit other that in emergency situations like a blackout when you might need to let folks know your a police vehicle if they need you.
- As a retired LEO, I can tell you that it is a dumb idea. I used to drive in ‘“stealth” mode and caught quite a few perpetrators. Why would you want to advertise your arrival to the bad guys?
- My opinion is, if your running your stationary blue lights in their solid blue, they’re still blue and they still confuse the citizens. I think blue light should only be turned on emergency call if you’re pulling somebody over, but every agency has different rules.
- I agree with the idea of a tactical disadvantage, as well as eliminating the element of surprise. I have used the cruise when on scene and parked in the road, mainly when I worked night shift. Not comfortable using them when working an accident. There are few scenarios when they are useful.
- The average motorist is already confused enough when they see emergency lights behind them. This will only create more confusion. There are some limited, location-specific applications, but not while on routine patrol.
- Coming from the days of the street hawk lights. I loved the cruise mode ability. They have advantages to be certain but just driving around constantly with them ... dumb. That’s why we have marked units in the first place to be seen by the public to make them feel safe, no need to have those lights on. What’s next? Driving with the siren on also? That will really get us noticed.
- I work for a medium-sized department and the surrounding large department does this cruise lights on all the time in the downtown district. I don’t see any application for it. I’ve heard no logical reason for this.
- In a rural county with some subdivisions, the sheriff takes a hit every election year because citizens say they have not seen a police car in weeks. Our patrol cars have the ability for steady on but only use it occasionally at night so citizens can see the patrol unit. The rest of the time the light is out for normal patrol.
- Excellent policy.
- They’re absolutely mandatory in conjunction with strobe lights, but as stand-alone? I was first introduced to this idea from European police in the 70s. It was to give the residents a touchstone, of sorts, that police are the ones prowling through their neighborhoods. The next time I was exposed was in Washington DC. The advantage I observed was that parking in travel lanes and other places seemed to add the needed identification of the vehicle while eliminating the draw of the media and malcontents that may happen when we activate the entire lightbar. Still on the fence overall.
- I, like you, thought at first that they had just forgot them and when you told them that their lights were on they said, “Well, they’re always on.” Ask why and they say any number of things. I think it’s an absolutely insane idea in a bad way and it should stop instantly. Why black out a unit and then leave lights on all the time?
- I see it here in Savannah, Georgia, and surrounding agencies. For me, at first, I thought I was being pulled over even though they weren’t flashing. I feel like they are distracting drivers instead of deterring crime.
- This in my opinion its a clown show ... especially in high-crime areas. All it accomplishes is criminal activity avoidance for the short period of time that cruiser is in that block or neighborhood, limiting police contact with criminals. If you have less proactive policing, you have less civilian complaints, less use of force reports, etc. Sure it tells your law-abiding citizens you are patrolling their neighborhood but that is about it. They are useful on special event details, traffic warning for speed deterrence, or other more stationary details where you do not need the intensity of all the flashing lights like you are landing aircraft.
- Driving with emergency lights activated indicates to the public hat there is an emergency the police, ambulance, fire department, volunteers are responding to. If a department wants to change policy to run emergency lights when there isn’t an emergency, then they need to first develop the indicators they will present to the public when they are responding to an emergency and then have a massive education program on this new method.
- Regarding the comment of riding in stealth mode to catch bad guys. It’s no longer about catching bad guys, it’s about waving a smiling and making people feel all warm and fuzzy. At least it seems that way.
- Just plain dumb. We also have “Neighborhood Watch” with scheduled “patrols.” The “patrols” involve civilian (private) cars riding the neighborhood (usually slowly) with an illuminated yellow beacon light sitting on the roof. The idea is great; it’s a “feel-good” exercise and any criminals wary of being seen can see the yellow light coming. The “watchers” don’t have to see crimes being committed.
- I have seen it. It only shows criminals where you are and they see you coming. By that time, the damage is done.
- I’m not sure where this might be a trend. I would definitely tell my crew not to do it! Your emergency lights are meant to get attention, get people out of your way or to stop. It would be quite confusing I believe if you are on regular patrol driving with your emergency lights everywhere you go! It could cause a lot of safety concerns too — people with green lights stopping at intersections, etc.
- Say you don’t believe in proactive policing without outright saying it, it is exactly what driving around with the cruise lights on does. Had the same thought when I worked security prior to law enforcement and we did this. Just tells the bad guys exactly where you are so they know where not to commit their crimes. I do agree there are good applications for cruise lights, such as when a squad needs to be visible. I think they are confusing for motorists when just driving around with them on for no reason, take away any tactical advantage, and just act like an evan bigger bill board than a marked patrol vehicle already is.
About the author
Shaun Nestor is an experienced law enforcement officer, leadership coach, and business strategist committed to seeing officers through their careers happy, healthy and wealthy — both in and beyond the badge. With nearly two decades of law enforcement experience and a strong background in coaching and entrepreneurship, he founded Beyond the Badge to help officers turn their expertise into impactful consulting, training, and coaching careers. Shaun regularly writes and speaks on leadership, recruiting and retention, emotional intelligence, and professional development for law enforcement. Connect with him at www.shaunnestor.com.
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