Say the dispatchers on the radio would they say “be on the lookout for a stolen Mauve Corolla” or it would be like a “spotted purple sedan on xxx street”
How well do you have to know cars and colors as a cop?
r/AskLE
Say the dispatchers on the radio would they say “be on the lookout for a stolen Mauve Corolla” or it would be like a “spotted purple sedan on xxx street”
Comments
Nobody puts out janky ass colors like “mauve”. You use generic colors.
Luckily I was into the car scene before joining LE, but if dispatch puts out a BOLO for a mauve corolla and I have to look up what color is mauve. I’m thinking to myself why not just say purple?
People are dumb, do you know how many calls have come to BOLO for a gray ford Silverado, or a blue Toyota civic? Half the time it isn’t a Toyota or a civic.
It’s good to have a familiarity with makes and models but it’s not expected when you first start. When you work patrol you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll pick up at least makes of cars, if not specific models. Some people are better at it than others.
I’m pretty good with makes and models. No need to specify shades of colors, other than light blue, dark blue, dark green, lime green, or whatever maybe for more commonly driven vehicles.
Super annoying when you stop the wrong car on a BOLO because another cop couldn’t give you a specific make and model, or they say “red” instead of “Maroon”…
Purple shitbox always works…
I can’t tell cars apart for shit. Couldn’t tell you the difference between a Honda accord or a civic.
My partner on the other hand can see one tail light from 600 ft away at night and tell you the year, make and model of whatever car it is.