By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri State Highway Patrol has moved away from using unmarked patrol cars for traffic enforcement.
142 previously unmarked vehicles now have decals identifying them as belonging to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Lt. John Hotz says they did it in order to increase their visibility.
"We know that when people see a marked patrol car, they generally pay a little closer attention, improve their driving habits, and we're hoping that this will help further reduce the number of crashes we have in our state," Hotz said.
A small number of unmarked cars may occasionally be used in traffic enforcement, but Hotz says they'll primarily be used for other missions, such as drug investigations.