Johnstown Police Department adds 'cruise mode' to light display

Reporter

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Johnstown Police Department has added a programmed "cruise mode" display to its cruisers’ light bars to make the vehicles more visible and thereby increase public safety.

"What ‘cruise mode’ does is it activates the lights on the outer edges of the existing emergency light bars, so the red and blue lights on each end will be on steadily, but they’ll be on low power, so they’re kind of thin-looking," Chief Richard Pritchard said. "They’ll be on all the time when the officers are on routine patrol."

The cruisers still have the flashing lights and sirens display to be used when an emergency situation exists or a motorist is being pulled over for a suspected traffic violation.

"When the light bars are being operated in the ‘cruise mode,’ motorists and pedestrians don't need to pull over or otherwise yield the right-of-way to our cars," Pritchard said, "but when they’re going on urgent emergency calls, traffic stops, stuff like that, all the lights on the light bar will be activated and flashing at various speeds, depending on the car.

"Plus the little lights around the front and the back will be running, and then obviously there will be the sirens."

Drivers and pedestrians need to yield to the cruisers when they are flashing the emergency lights.

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.

All uniformed Johnstown police officers will soon be outfitted with body cameras when on patrol. The department recently acquired 19 cameras, made by a company called Axon, after receiving more than $64,000 in state funding to cover the cost.

Reporter

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.

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