# Question about my Marauder



## Mattyc (Nov 16, 2003)

This is my 2004 Mercury Marauder, which is completely stock except for a Magnaflow catback exhaust. I am currently in the process of becoming a C.O for the Mass DOC and I am a little concerned that when and if I move on and am finally woking in a prison that the car will draw unwanted attention due to my similar uniform that you police officers wear. I dont want police or citizens to see me driving the car thinking I am someone I am not. I am very familiar with the term "Whacker" which I would never want to be branded with, which is why I am trying to get some feedback from you guys. I love the car but if it comes down to it and you think it will not be a good idea to keep it once I am working in the prison, then I will just sell it. Which brings me to my question: What do you guys think? Should I keep it or do you think it will give me whacker status and I should sell it. Thanks for your input.

Matt


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## kttref (Oct 5, 2004)

I would suggest getting ANYTHING else (besides a Crown Vic)...just my personal opinion.


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## csauce777 (Jan 10, 2005)

Dont add blue lights, sirens, blue line plates/stickers, MPA stickers, a cage, radios, and your high viz rain coat to the backseat, and I dont think you'll have a problem...


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## Nighttrain (Dec 10, 2004)

Keep the car stock and don't wear a uniform while driving it. Change at work. It only takes a second to throw on a BDU top. I see way too many folks from the DOC heading into work in full uniform. 

Nice car.


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## USMCTrooper (Oct 23, 2003)

Keep the car, just use your head. Why anyone would drive their personal vehicle while clearly wearing a uniform is beyond me. The average public dont know the difference between police, security, prison guards, etc. Would you want to be getting gas, a coffee, etc and have some citizen run up asking for help because of a domestic, robbery, or worse? Even the cops in my ton dont wear uniforms during the commute. They leave their weapons at the station and change into t shirts or jackets. 

No sense in wearing a bullseye on your back AND driving one...........


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## Mattyc (Nov 16, 2003)

USMCTrooper said:


> Keep the car, just use your head. Why anyone would drive their personal vehicle while clearly wearing a uniform is beyond me. The average public dont know the difference between police, security, prison guards, etc. Would you want to be getting gas, a coffee, etc and have some citizen run up asking for help because of a domestic, robbery, or worse? Even the cops in my ton dont wear uniforms during the commute. They leave their weapons at the station and change into t shirts or jackets.
> 
> No sense in wearing a bullseye on your back AND driving one...........


Your right, that makes sense. I was just figuring I would be wearing it on the way to work, so when I got there I would be ready to go rather than get there and change. I just thought it would look better/more professional if I showed up dressed and ready to go, rather than showing up in my street clothes. But I guess your right I never really thought about it like that. The thought of me selling the Marauder makes me a little upset but if it was going to be a black eye everytime I had to drive to work then it would be gone. Thanks for your input guys.
Matt


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## Mattyc (Nov 16, 2003)

Wolfman said:


> I'll still trade the Yukon for it.


Haha ya I know you would, I highly doubt I would sell it for any other reason other than my job but try asking me in November I wouldn't mind a Yukon. I dont drive it in the winter anymore it gets squirrely in the rain, nevermind if there is snow on the ground. The traction control is useless. If you have to get somewhere in a hurry and its snowing you can forget about it. I dont know how these cops get to calls fast if somthing goes down in a snowstorm. I know my car shares alot with the interceptors with the exception of the motor, so I understand how much they suck to drive in the winters around here. So Wolfman try me in about 5 months or so I bet Ill be much more interested at that time.
Matt


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2008)

USMCTrooper said:


> Even the cops in my ton dont wear uniforms during the commute. They leave their weapons at the station and change into t shirts or jackets.


I get dressed at home, but every police officer should have a disguise in their personal vehicle; a jacket or an oversized shirt to put over the uniform shirt. No one notices you're a cop, and if the shit hits the fan you can strip it off in a second and have access to your full duty belt.


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

Delta784 said:


> I get dressed at home, but every police officer should have a disguise in their personal vehicle; a jacket or an oversized shirt to put over the uniform shirt. No one notices you're a cop, and if the shit hits the fan you can strip it off in a second and have access to your full duty belt.


Same here I throw on a light Wind Breaker and take it off when I get to the station. This 90+ degree heat sort of stinks for doing it that way but oh well.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2008)

CJIS said:


> Same here I throw on a light Wind Breaker and take it off when I get to the station. This 90+ degree heat sort of stinks for doing it that way but oh well.


Go to Walmart and buy a cheap short sleeve button-up shirt that's two sizes too big for you. It will fit over the uniform shirt & vest, and as long as the patch and badge are covered then probably no one will notice.


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## misconceived (Jun 18, 2006)

CJIS said:


> This 90+ degree heat sort of stinks for doing it that way but oh well.


A Patriots Jersey combats the heat quite well. :-D


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## CTrain (Apr 17, 2006)

Delta784 said:


> if the shit hits the fan you can strip it off in a second and have access to your full duty belt.


Hopefully theres a phonebooth near by


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## Deuce (Sep 27, 2003)

Delta784 said:


> I get dressed at home, but every police officer should have a disguise in their personal vehicle; a jacket or an oversized shirt to put over the uniform shirt. No one notices you're a cop, and if the shit hits the fan you can strip it off in a second and have access to your full duty belt.


A pair of BCG's will disguise anyone....


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## USMCTrooper (Oct 23, 2003)

Delta784 said:


> I get dressed at home, but every police officer should have a disguise in their personal vehicle; a jacket or an oversized shirt to put over the uniform shirt. No one notices you're a cop, and if the shit hits the fan you can strip it off in a second and have access to your full duty belt.


Exactly!!

I dont even wear police shirts, hats, etc out in public. I prefer not to advertise what I do when I'm not doing it. I save them for working around the house or while flying....just in case I have to do a Bruce Lee move on some nut charging the cockpit door, I dont wanna be accidentally tased by a stewardess!! :-D


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## csauce777 (Jan 10, 2005)

USMCTrooper said:


> They leave their weapons at the station


No offense... but what sense does that make?


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## USMCTrooper (Oct 23, 2003)

csauce777 said:


> No offense... but what sense does that make?


According the local guys in my town, it makes alot of sense. They dont have it at home, where a kid could get it. If they stop for a pop on the way home, its not in their belt or the car. Some of the guys also live out of town and dont want to be in uniform and armed if they stop at the grocery store, gas stations, etc out of their jurisdiction. This is their reasoning for doing it.......Good or bad. It doesn't affect me obviously, as I work for a different agency.


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## Guest (Jun 12, 2008)

misconceived said:


> A Patriots Jersey combats the heat quite well. :-D


Or if you are Boston PD, a button up Sox jersey will do you fine....... hahahahhaa


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2008)

CTrain said:


> Hopefully theres a phonebooth near by


A phonebooth?

1) There are no phonebooths anymore.

2) Only state troopers think they're Superman.


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## kttref (Oct 5, 2004)

Wow...remember phone booths? Do they still have them in England?


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2008)

kttref said:


> Wow...remember phone booths? Do they still have them in England?


The only ones I know of around here are in a rest area off Route 128 near Dedham, but I have the feeling they're mostly used for things other than phone calls. :wow:


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## kttref (Oct 5, 2004)

Like this:


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

To the poster, if you like your car keep it. The Marauder will be a collectible in a decade just because of its low production numbers. It may be built on the panther platform (current crown vic) but it is by no means a P71 (Police Interceptor). 

Whackerism here is quite played up, for some people if you wear a baseball hat with your departments logo on it to do yard work your a whacker, if you have a thin blue line sticker on your car your a whacker etc. You see what I am getting at. 

Just drive what you want, as long as you dont throw a push bar on there and add blue lights, wig wags, siren, "Police" lettering then who cares. Some people make a mountain out of a mole hill. Enjoy the car.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2008)

HELPMe said:


> To the poster, if you like your car keep it. The Marauder will be a collectible in a decade just because of its low production numbers. It may be built on the panther platform (current crown vic) but it is by no means a P71 (Police Interceptor).
> 
> Whackerism here is quite played up, for some people if you wear a baseball hat with your departments logo on it to do yard work your a whacker, if you have a thin blue line sticker on your car your a whacker etc. You see what I am getting at.
> 
> Just drive what you want, as long as you dont throw a push bar on there and add blue lights, wig wags, siren, "Police" lettering then who cares. Some people make a mountain out of a mole hill. Enjoy the car.


Very bad advice, and you seriously underestimate the reactions of veterans towards rookies (never mind trainees). When I was first hired by my current PD, I was assigned "inside" almost every night for the first 3+ months because one of the older officers who had chosen to work inside was out injured. On a regular basis, veteran officers would try to bait me into complaining about being inside...."Geez kid, you're inside again? What the hell did you do wrong?"

I knew they wanted nothing more than be able to go to roll call the next night and bitch about the new kid who is a malcontent, so my standard response was "I'm just happy to be here" with a big smile on my face.

So would driving a police-type vehicle be looked upon in a negative fashion by staff instructors who look for ANY perceived weakness? You bet your ass. Keep the car if you like, but buy a cheap clunker for the time you're in the academy.


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

Delta784 said:


> Very bad advice, and you seriously underestimate the reactions of veterans towards rookies (never mind trainees). When I was first hired by my current PD, I was assigned "inside" almost every night for the first 3+ months because one of the older officers who had chosen to work inside was out injured. On a regular basis, veteran officers would try to bait me into complaining about being inside...."Geez kid, you're inside again? What the hell did you do wrong?"
> 
> I knew they wanted nothing more than be able to go to roll call the next night and bitch about the new kid who is a malcontent, so my standard response was "I'm just happy to be here" with a big smile on my face.
> 
> So would driving a police-type vehicle be looked upon in a negative fashion by staff instructors who look for ANY perceived weakness? You bet your ass. Keep the car if you like, but buy a cheap clunker for the time you're in the academy.


Delta with respect,
There will always be "hazing" of some type done to student officers or new trainees. I know you of all people understand this. Everyone does their time. I would think being proficient at what you do, and being a team player would be more important than his current vehicle of choice.

However, I really doubt that his vehicle will dictate what assignment he is given during his shift. I could understand the animosity if he drove a CVPI but it is not one. My whole point is, that his car is no more a police vehicle then a chevy tahoe or a ford explorer or a ford mustang or a dodge charger.

Sure, the tahoe, explorer, mustang and dodge charger come with special service and police packages but his vehicle is not one. It would be like yelling at him because he drove a lincoln town car (also a panther platform) saying it looked too much like a cruiser. Or Yelling at him because he has a Charger R/T and that some police departments use them as cruisers.

I wouldnt trade in or sell my car if simply because I was worried that I might get a crappy assingment during my tour. Especially, if I still owed money on it and was taking a hit.

Like I said to the poster if you enjoy it, drive it. You may get some flack just becasue of what it resembles but, anyone who knows cars will probably ask you questions about it and want to take it for a ride. Some people take the whacker thing too far. Just make sure you can do the tasks assigned, keep your head down and be proficient then I do not see a problem. Good Luck with your decision.


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## Killjoy (Jun 23, 2003)

One of my classmates, who was single, drove a full-size van during the academy. You can imagine his nicknames.


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## Guest (Jun 17, 2008)

HELPMe said:


> Delta with respect,
> There will always be "hazing" of some type done to student officers or new trainees.


Exactly....so why hand out the free ammunition?

The OP asked if his car is going to cause him grief. It is. Bet on it.


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2008)

Just put some dents in the car, rip off a bumper, and everyone will think its and unmarked Quincy car.


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