# State police Taxi service....



## mopar6972 (May 6, 2003)

Driving home yesterday I noticed a state police "unmarked" car with something a bit odd on it. His rear license plate was a LV/Livery plate. The police interceptor badge had been removed as well.. At first I figured it was a wannabee, but upon closer observation it appeared to be a "normal car" ei.. radar, cage....... My question is, is this a normal practice?? Not that it matters at all, I just found it a bit odd....


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2003)

I too have seen quite a few State Livery cruisers around. I thought perhaps they were for undercover use or something to that effect however I have seen them just doing regular traffic. I believe State Danvers has a yellow crown vic with tinted windows and TAXI written on the side lol id love to know what that is used for. As for the LV plates I think the 3D's unit uses them but I could be wrong. Here is another one i've seen that I got a good laugh out of off at an mva, black crown vic Fish and Wildlife plates with a push bumper and blue grilles behind the grille, as if the push didn't give it away lol. Despite this I am glad to see state has some different unmarked cars.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2003)

A cabbie w/ a gun,jeez these poor guys as if AAA w/ gun wasnt enough of a stimata :shock: . &lt;-----Its just a joke now, not meant to offend anyone, I'm only kidding around.

I hear there rates are cheaper than normal taxi service too:shock:
(and what I'mean by this is a free ride to jail) 

Then again if your a pssaenger in the back seat of one of those cruisers w/ livery plates you would probably be wishing you where in a yellow taxi.

Probably not the cab right some would prefer, well atleast not with the ultimate destination being jail, I'm sure they dont give rides to the airport and if they do I would tend to think its not to an airline terminal for departure.


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## TheFuzz357 (Feb 21, 2003)

Masstroopers1,
I think what he saw was a low-pro with the LV plates. I know a couple of those floating around the Central Mass area. It just gives them a few more car lengths before the chuckleheads jack on the brakes and try to tuck in behind them. :sly:


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## mopar6972 (May 6, 2003)

MSP357,

Im pretty sure thats what I saw.. It looked legit to me, and it was on Rt 2 in the concord area....


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## Irish Wampanoag (Apr 6, 2003)

Yes these livery plates offer free taxi service to the GRAY BAR HOTEL. Before your adventure you will be allowed to try on very expensive silver bracelets (Note you will be searched for security purposes before entering the State Taxi, do to elevated terrorist threats our country is facing. Keeping everyone safe is our #1 priority.) Our spacious luxurious Taxi will show you an orchestra of a blue light show which is free to our customers. This light show is so intense you may see other motorist pull over and stop to view the show. Music and sound maybe displayed in accordance with the light show. Our Taxi is equipped with seat belts that should be worn at all times, which one of our staff finest will assist you with. Our Taxi, depending on where you catch the taxi of course, will tour you through many historical communities in Massachusetts. In your commute we will not have to stop for any traffic lights or traffic jams, your ride will be fast quick and safe. Once at the Gray Bar Hotel, you will be considered a VIP and escorted through the back entrance of our world known hotel. Once inside you will notice our nicely dressed french blue staff who will assist you in taking off those extremely thick silver bracelets. The friendly staff there will register you into our elaborate registration guess book. They will even take your belongings, money and any weapons or articles found on you during the safety search and secure them in a safe place. You will be given a phone call so you can call you friends or family and tell them about your anticipated stay at the hotel. Finger painting is also available for customers. Our courteous staff will escort you to your room where they will make sure you are tucked in and secured in your room for the night. Our rooms are cleaned daily and have a fresh disinfectant smell to them, a pleasure to the senses. Blankets and pillows maybe offered but not given to our guess who may want to experience the full effect of our Gray Bar Hotel vacation. In the morning you maybe offered a continental breakfast. The taxi service will bring you on a tour of the Massachusetts Court System, there you will meet a live judge who will verse you on the Massachusetts General Law. If the judge likes you and finds time and space he will fit you in for a free pass and transportation to our Mass Correction Facility or our second to none County Jail. But customers keep in mind please don't count on it, our judges in Massachusetts reserve this special treatment for just a few, they only give these passes to the frequent rider customers. At the end of the day you will find that our taxi and vacations as well as services are the best in town. These packages are the cheapest price, you pay nothing up front. So call us today at 911 and speak to one of our representatives today. They would love to hear from you!!! 



I am kidding so don't get hostile its a joke


Yes I do have too much time on my hands, at least today I do !!!! LOL


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

Working for a dept. in Boston I can offer this insight.

Most likely the Livery cars you are seeing are Taxi's. There are many small Livery (private car) and Taxi companies that use black CV's/Police Interceptors. Look at the cabs in Boston, 90% of them are actually Police Interceptors. Most cabs have a "cage" to protect the driver. I've seen quite a few of these Black Livery cars with a cage in the city. 

I doubt what you saw was a radar, most likely a Fare meter on the dash, possibly a GPS, and other cellular and radio equipt. At best it qualifies for a "Unmarked Cab"....very, very sneaky. 

In my opinion, Cab companies should not be allowed to buy Police Vehicles. Some of you may have experienced it, nothing like getting flagged down by someone becuase they thought you were a cab. Cruisers should be exclusive to Public Safety only.


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## mopar6972 (May 6, 2003)

RPD931 said:


> I doubt what you saw was a radar, most likely a Fare meter on the dash, possibly a GPS, and other cellular and radio equipt. At best it qualifies for a "Unmarked Cab"....very, very sneaky.
> quote]
> 
> I used to drive a vehicle equipped with both front and rear radar.. Im pretty familiar with how it looks... Thanks


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## Dr.Magoo (May 2, 2002)

I believe that there are some 3D Team members with the LV plates and an unmarked car.


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## TheFuzz357 (Feb 21, 2003)

I guess it wasn't clear enough in my earlier post or some can't help throwing in their :2c: . *That was a MSP cruiser.* They are low profile cars designed for highway traffic enforcement. They are all one color, now blue and gray, with a push bar in the front. They have strobes in the rear deck, tail lights, backup lights, corner markers, and on the dash. MSP Community Action Teams (CAT) were given a grant for speed enforcement which purchased a camera and two headed radar for most of the cruisers on the CAT. To stay more stealthy, some have gone as far to put Livery plates on their low profiles to reduce the "Oh Sh#$" factor of people flying up to your rear bumper or blind spot, realizing it is a cruiser and jamming on the brakes. Only to hang in your blind spot or follow you but not pass you. In C Troop we also have a Camero outfitted with the camera and radar. So if you see a red Camero and you think you see lights in the back and a radar head in the window, guess what?! That's a cruiser, too!


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

mopar, I'm familiar with the radar system too...thanks.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2003)

masstroopers1 said:


> Hunter - I think the word you were looking for was "STIGMA", confusing it perhaps with "STIGMATA", which is a plural term which signifies bodily marks or pains resembling the wounds of the crucified Christ and sometimes accompanying religious ecstasy. :wl:


Mt,

Thank you for the correction, and you are correct that is the word I was looking for.

I too have scene these cruisers around, I've actually scene them alot, I have one that lives in my neighborhood. And yes thay are CAT Team cars. I know got my info ( awhile back) from the Trooper who lives in my neighborhood who works in this unit.

Now the unit marked up as a Taxi, this I gotta see.But I'm curious who would stop for such a vehicle, not to be ignornat or anything but I dont think I would and would advise my girl to do the same. I guess it something I would have to be presented with to know exactley what I would. I would probably dial 911 if someone was attempting to stop me in a car painted up as a cab with blue lisghts and siren just to confrim.

I dont know about this one, I'm all for good traffic enforcement and creative approaches to enforce it. But so many whackers have these cars all wigged out. Sounds like a problem waiting to happen.

Would you guys want your women to stop for a cab w/blue lights, I cant imagine many of you would advise your better half to do so. And to ask to make sure its a real police officer, Naaa to many what if's.

Definitley creative thinkig on behalf of MSP if it is true. No one would ever expect that, but imagine how busy the Trooper who would operates such a cruiser, how many times have one of you seen cab get cut off on purpose.

GOOD THINKING MSP.


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## mopar6972 (May 6, 2003)

The vehicle in question was NOT dressed up like a taxi.... It simply had a LV plate and no SP markings ....It looked more like a crown vic limo than anything else....


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2003)

Mopar,

I know the cruisers you speak of, but I was talking about the one Seagull was refering to thats marked up as a taxi at the he say @ the Danvers Barracks.


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## mopar6972 (May 6, 2003)

ah, my mistake! next time Ill read more carefully!


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

Hunter,

I always tell my wife to NEVER stop for the "Blue Light Special" and to call *77 when in doubt. And I tell her to try to stop in well lit areas, whether it be a parking lot or under a street light. I think any PO that drives around in a car with just a single light and does a traffic stop is an idiot.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2003)

Let me clarify what I have seen. As far as the black crown vic, tinted windows with livery plates (like every other limo you see) I have seen uniformed state troopers doing traffic, blocking off roads etc with these cars. As far as the yellow cab I have never seen it in motion. Myself and others have seen it from a distance passing by the Danvers barracks. It has tinted windows, it is a 97 style yellow Crown Vic with just the word "Taxi" on the sides :shock:. Maybe some of the Troopers on the board can fill us in as to if that is used for Traffic or Undercover purposes. If it is traffic, that is scary in my opinion. If it is for undercover it doesn't do much good parked right out in front of the barracks.


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## LeadDog17 (May 3, 2002)

MSP357,

You were quite clear in your first explanation. I think some people have selective cognizant abilities and only see/read/hear what they want. That or they simply don't pay attention. 

RPD,
GREAT thinking - we SHOULDN'T allow cab companies or others to buy used police vehicles. That way, departments would have to pay a small fortune to retire an old cruiser, further depleting precious cash resources and in turn requiring more officer layoffs! On top of that, when you need to take a cab from your home on a job search because you got laid off and can't afford a car anymore, that cab fare will be roughly twice as much because the cabbies need to pay to buy OTHER cars, less suitable to their function and more expensive. The cab companies will go out of business, leaving more unemployed workers in the wake and masses of other workforce segments will need to quit their jobs because they can't afford to get to work. Workplace productivity will drop, there will be mass unemployment, deflation, looting, rioting, murder chaos. All because you don't want some cabby riding around in the CV you used to break wind in every night at 3:30 am when you were trying to unwind from the excitement of the nights chaos on campus!
Still, though, not a bad idea!

    



Eric


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2003)

I know a few troopers who are assigned a black ford crown victoria with livery plates. It is their regular take home car/cruiser. It is the exact same P71 as the marked MSP cruisers, just without markings. I also know for a fact that 3D uses at least 1 of these said CVs with Livery plates from C Troop. 

Its no big mystery that MSP uses these LV plates.


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## LeadDog17 (May 3, 2002)

******* A POST HAS BEEN EDITED**************
Let's please refrain from blatant and superfluous name calling!

Thank you


Eric


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2003)

leaddog17... wheres the rest of my post?? all you had to do was remove that first graders swear and it would have been fine.


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

That's why I say call *77. If she she's a "blue light special" call *77...

The single bluelight responding to something is one thing, making traffic stops is another. I'm sure there are plenty of other guys here who feel the same about the "Single Light" nuts.


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2003)

masstroopers1 said:


> RPD931 said:
> 
> 
> > Hunter,
> ...


MT,

You are absoulutley correct about stopping for a single blue special, however I dont think most women would know the difference between 10 blue lights and one blue light, and I certainly wouldnt ask of her to make the distinction while checking the rear view mirror to so if its of one of these blue light specials. I think the suggestion can be made to her but how much of that is she really going to pay attention to if a BLS (blue light special) is attempting to stop her? I would suppose aome women would be better at it than others but I would'nt bet on it. Educate her the best you can (and I've done that) but gamble on it, sorry I wouldnt, it mean the difference between good result or a bad one.

I understand what your saying about them finding themselves on the wrong end of a felony charge if they drive an extensive distance. But in some place they may have to drive a distance before they can fnd a safe spot ie..if there driving on a higway and need to find an exit and location in an unfamiliar area. I would like to hope a Trooper or Cop attempting to stop her would understand, He would probably be aggravated and inconvienced but I like I said I hope he would understand and if he didnt, well I guess we leave it to a jury to decide, I think its better to be safe than sorry.

But for the women who keeps driving to the mall because that was her destination in the 1st place and claims she wanted to get to well lighted area,then thats another story.

And as far as how impersonators there are out there I have no clue, but it only takes 1.


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## ryan933 (Oct 3, 2003)

Ask for a photo id. MGL requires ALL PO's to carry a department issued photo id, uniformed or not. Obviously UC's are the exception, but a UC should not be doing random MV stops.

Ryan


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## capefiveo (Oct 19, 2003)

In the current fiscal status of the state, it is sometimes not cost effective to put an abundant suppy of warning lights in an unmarked unit, as opposed to a marked unit. Reason being, the number of MV stops by an unmarked unit pales in comparison to the number stops made by that of a marked unit. Having said that, my wife, god bless her heart, wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a car with a sole strobe on the dash or a full lightbar trying to stop her at night. I personally don't have a big problem with a lone female occupant of a vehicle partially rolling down the window on a stop to hand paperwork out the window to me.(unfortunately, your sense of smell for alcohol or 94c becomes inhibited). 

On a side note, it does make you wonder when you read TT messages regarding PO's unmarked units being B&amp;E'd and items being taken, including blue lights. I just hope their using them to enhance their psychadelic trip and nothing more.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Blue light=1.Stop, pull over, etc. 
2. Get on the horn. (*77, 911, speed dail # attorney) 
3. Smile at the Officer/Impersonator and hope for the
best!!!!!!
:L: :L: 

RPD!?!?!?

Do you need ANOTHER nap!?
:wink:


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## Dane (Sep 26, 2003)

While doing my bit in BIS, I stopped plenty of cars with the single strobe. The difference is, I usually had a pretty damn good idea of who I was stopping before I did it. And no, these people I was stopping did not include cops' wives. In fact, these people were legitimate bad guys, not a Volvo wagon with mom, two ankle biters, and a "My Child is Student of the Month at the John Crapper Middle School" sticker on the back. Why were they being stopped? Because they were up to something; something illegal. Usually of the felony variety. So unless your wife is out there committing felonies in drug and gang saturated areas, there should be little problem.

Experienced plainclothes guys and girls know that law abiding citizens (even ones committing minor traffic violations) would be quite suspicious about being stopped by the unmarked with the single strobe. That's why these cops would be pretty hard pressed to make these stops anyway. If it were to happen, capefiveo and MT1 have hit it on the head. Lock the doors. Crack the window. Ask for a photo ID and/or uniformed officer.

As for this speculation about yellow taxis at the barracks: Does anyone really think that Troopers would be out there stopping cars in something as ridiculous as a taxi? C'mon now. Really.


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2003)

I hope Troopers aren't out using a yellow cab for traffic :shock:! I have yet to get any answer about it though. It obviously has to be used for undercover work but talk about burning out a car, its parked right in front of the barracks. As far as using any car for undercover work Dane is exactly right. Your not using it for traffic so having law abiding citizens fail to stop is not an issue, ie. Harry just realized he sold to a narc and now theres a Mazda boxing him in with a blue rotator lol this fine citizen knows EXACTLY what he did wrong and there is no question as to who is in the car with that blue light.


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## phuzz01 (May 1, 2002)

About five years ago, I got pulled over by a trooper in an off-brand car with a single blue light on the dash. I had just gotten my license, and was driving with my HUA. I think I passed him on the right and cut him off at >90mph. He said he was a detective and didn't make many traffic stops, but my almost killing him tipped the balances. :NO: He was nice enough to drop it to 85/55. \/


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## SRRerg (Sep 19, 2003)

I work at SP Danvers, the big yellow taxi - It was a 95 Caprice painted to look like a taxi. I don't believe it was used for traffic enforcement, but for surveillance by the drug unit, etc. I'm pretty sure it's up at Fort Devens (i'll look today), where it will soon be reborn as a genuine taxi cab.

Anything that makes it harder for the "fast and dubious" to spot us is fair game in my book - but that full light bar is real nice when clearing an accident in the high speed lane....

Stay safe


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## 40th MPOC#309 (Aug 7, 2002)

:arrow: Hey SRR-Yup it's up there. I was up there on Saturday. I've seen another 1 or 2 up there too over the years.... :wink:


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

mopar6972 @ Sun Nov 16 2003 said:


> MSP357,
> 
> Im pretty sure thats what I saw.. It looked legit to me, and it was on Rt 2 in the concord area....


This topic is OLD, but here's the skinny:

Yes, it was a real MSP cruiser. I asked that trooper one day about his plates; he said he got them from the RMV right before the guy in charge of fleet (for some reason) apparently put an end to troopers getting LV plates for their cruisers.

To the best of my knowledge, he's just a regular road trooper as he has a regular four digit cruiser number and is assigned to a single barracks (and even frequently works the desk).


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