The vehicle, designed to blend in with everyday traffic, is somewhere between an unmarked undercover vehicle and a traditional patrol car, with faded out, light grey police labels on the vehicle body. Proudly touting the ghosted ride, Lt. Jack Carpenter, a traffic enforcement commander, gave a look into this new addition to the force.
"This is the latest and greatest from the traffic enforcement unit. This is our new ghost vehicle for DUI enforcement. This is about a year in the making," Carpenter said. "Everything is different than you see on a regular patrol car, from the lights to the pattern to the graphics."
In the days to come, you might see (or completely miss) cops lurking in the new vehicle as they wait to bust drivers for various infractions.
A first in MPD History..Our new fleet of Ghosted Traffic/DUI Enforcement Vehicles are now patrolling our roadways! pic.twitter.com/5vMFjG1D2l
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) July 17, 2024
What Makes the Ghosted Tahoe Unique?
The ghosted police Tahoe may look like an ordinary vehicle at first glance, but it's packed with features designed to give Miami Police a high-tech edge to issue tickets. Integrated lights are hidden within the body of the vehicle, and the ghost graphics, which are hard to see during the day, light up at night when illuminated. "From a distance, you don't know it's a police car, but as you get close, it definitely will light up, and you'll see it's an official police vehicle now," Carpenter said.
The Tahoe has 20-inch rims, Firestone Pursuit tires, and custom-made lights. The covert design is intended to blend in with regular traffic, making it easier for officers to spot violations without drawing attention.
The vehicle is specially equipped for DUI enforcement, with an Intoxilyzer 8000 mounted in the back for on-site processing of impaired drivers. This setup reduces the time needed for processing arrests.
Ghosted Tahoe on Patrol
Carpenter took the new ghosted Tahoe on patrol and quickly showcased it catching four violations.One incident occurred in the West Flagler area, where a driver was caught briefly driving against traffic in a median.
Minor infraction? Carpenter doesn't see it that way. "If somebody would've turned out from on the left side of here into that traffic, they could've had an accident," he noted.
Carpenter ultimately showed leniency, giving the driver a break and emphasizing the importance of having proof of insurance.
"I know the car is hard to see because it's ghost. You know, graphics and everything like that," Carpenter told the driver, who admitted to noticing the Tahoe's peculiar appearance.
"The ultimate goal in traffic enforcement is not to issue tickets. The ultimate goal is to get everybody to drive safe so that everybody gets home safe," Carpenter claimed.
Ghost 👻 Mode…
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) July 18, 2024
(A clip from our latest Vlog) Lieutenant Carpenter demonstrates the effectiveness of our ghosted DUI / Traffic enforcement vehicles. pic.twitter.com/RQB7rtswAK
