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Police show specially marked patrol car; department says vehicle increased traffic citations in first week
Summary
Simi Valley Police displayed a newly deployed specially marked patrol vehicle used for proactive traffic enforcement; department reported the assigned officer wrote 30 citations and issued two warnings in about eight days, including 15 for speeding.
Simi Valley Police presented a newly put‑into‑service specially marked patrol vehicle to the City Council on May 12, explaining the vehicle’s purpose and early results.
Sergeant Mallister described the vehicle as a low‑profile patrol car with subdued markings but full law‑enforcement equipment. The department said the vehicle’s purpose is to blend with traffic to identify dangerous driving behavior—speeding, distracted driving and reckless operation—particularly along high collision corridors, commuter routes and near schools.
The department cited early enforcement results: the assigned traffic officer wrote 30 citations and issued two warnings in roughly eight days of service, including 15 speeding citations (all for speeds 15 mph or more over the limit), two cellphone‑use violations, one red‑light violation and 12 other violations. The department emphasized uniform and vehicle marking requirements in state law and noted CHP had previously deployed similar vehicles statewide.
Commander Darren Mueller and Sergeant Mallister said the city will use the vehicle selectively in areas with known safety problems—examples mentioned included Royal Avenue, LA Avenue and major arterial corridors—and encouraged the public to view the vehicle during a scheduled recess.
The council took no policy action; the presentation served as an informational briefing on the department’s traffic enforcement strategy.
