Highway Patrol gets vehicles with subdued identifiers

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has implemented a new pilot program utilizing "slick top" patrol cars in hopes of increasing highway safety across Wyoming.

The five new vehicles will be patrolling Wyoming with one of the cars headed to each of the five WHP districts across the state. Thermopolis is located in District 5, covering Hot Springs, Washakie, Big Horn, Fremont and Park counties.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Lieutenant David Wagener said each of the new cars is assigned to a specific trooper, and will primarily stay with that trooper within the given district. However, during events such as the Sturgis Rally Week, it may become necessary to have more than one unit in a district.

Although the vehicles are designed to be more subdued, they are still clearly identifiable as WHP patrol vehicles and will be used to help identify distracted driving, impaired driving, and also to increase the WHP's criminal interdiction efforts in areas such as human and contraband trafficking.

Wagener explained a regular WHP patrol has bright markings, and is more easily recognized on the streets and highways. It also means drivers can spot them more easily and correct any behavior which might get them pulled over.

The slick top vehicles have more subdued text and patches on the front fenders, as well as reflective safety chevrons and a WHP decal on the rear. Though there is no light bar on the vehicle's roof, there are red and blue flashers in the wheel wells, windows and bumpers. The slick tops are not so easily recognized, and are expected to provide more success in detaining drivers, Wagener said, allowing more opportunity for troopers to evaluate whether people are safe to drive and educate them on rules of the road.

The majority of the units are currently out in the field, Wagener said. He noted the trooper with the unit in District 1, the southeast area of the state, performed a stop resulting in the arrest of an impaired driver. Shortly after, the trooper also interdicted a large amount of a controlled substance during a stop, which resulted in at least one arrest. A firearm was also seized in the second incident.

The main reason for the pilot program, Wagener said, is to increase highway safety.

Kebin Haller, colonel with the WHP, said, "I am excited to see the results of this initiative. Slick top enforcement patrol vehicles are not new to law enforcement or other highway patrol agencies throughout the country. This is something that we have been discussing for the past year and we now have an opportunity to pilot such a program."

Wyoming Department of Transportation Director William T. "Bill" Panos stated, "I am supportive of this pilot project and encouraged when we innovate to advance law enforcement efforts in our state."