FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- New California Highway Patrol Dodge Durangos are rolling retired statewide and drafting disapproval from drivers who accidental the peculiar plan is deceptive.
The caller Dodge Durangos are astir unrecognizable from the outside, but officers accidental they are a much-needed instrumentality to drawback speeders.
"We truly conscionable privation to blend successful truthful we're not arsenic recognizable, and we're truly catching radical successful their existent tone of what they're doing retired there," explained California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Salas
Officer Mike Salas confirms that 100 "specially marked patrol vehicles" are targeting reckless drivers crossed the state.
In conscionable 3 weeks, officers successful this Durango person issued a 1000 tickets successful Fresno County alone...
"We're going to physique up our velocity to freeway speed," said Salas.
Within minutes of getting onto Highway 99, a Toyota Camry blew close past Salas' patrol conveyance arsenic Action News joined him connected a ride-along Thursday.
Robert was driving 80 miles per hour.
"So, you were going a fewer miles over, archer america wherefore you were going implicit tonight?" Action News asked Robert.
"I americium conscionable trying to drawback my lad practicing astatine Edison," Robert said.
He had nary thought Salas was connected patrol
GF: "This caller car looks overmuch antithetic than the accepted achromatic and white," said Robert.
"I've really seen it earlier - propulsion implicit a mates of people, but I didn't adjacent announcement it down me, to beryllium honest. It benignant of blended in."
Robert drove distant with a warning, but immoderate drivers aren't truthful lucky. They've called the Durangos deceiving, adjacent entrapment.
Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi says the logo connected the broadside makes them legal.
"It meets the requirements that the instrumentality demands beryllium connected a instrumentality enforcement vehicle, and technically, it's wrong the law, and they person each close to usage this benignant of vehicle," said Capozzi.
The CHP hears the criticism, but believes the caller vehicles could prevention lives.
"If we are capable to deploy a caller tool, similar our Specially Marked Patrol Vehicle, and it reduces radical from speeding," said Salas.
"Because present they're thinking, 'Oh my gosh, is that a Highway Patrol Car oregon is it not?' It's worthy it to us."
Thursday night, CHP Fresno's 2nd peculiar Durango has deed the streets successful our area.
A 3rd is present connected its way.
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