We sure do spend a lot of $$$$ to generate traffic revenue don't we???
Kind of like a Zen riddle isn't it?
Except for the ultralights, we do the same thing up here.
Unmarked cars all over the damned place!
When I retired from the S.O. here, I was in charge of our traffic motor unit.
The key thing we stressed was high visibility! We didn't hide. Even when operating our (then) stationary radar or lazer units, we did so from a position of high visibility. If you didn't have your head stuffed completely up your arse, you could see us
If you want to reduce a problem, increase visability!
On almost any given summer day, you'll find a good number of our "motor units" sitting in unmarked cars, writing tickets at bruce b. downs and other major intersections.
Put a marked unit at that same intersection, and watch compliance go UP and tickets go DOWN
An
omnipresence of the police has
always been and
always will be,
the most cost effective way of preventing crime and enforcing compliance (from a street level perspective).
With unmarked cars, sure you'll "catch" more violators, which will by it's very nature, increase revenues.
Unfortunately, the down side to unmarked cars is many people (obviously) don't see them. Especially the "true" unmarked vehicles such as the SUV's and sedans that blend into the surrounding crowd.
With a MARKED vehicle, more people see them which accomplishes a couple of things right off the bat:
1) compliance with traffic law.
2) Enforcement of Traffic law.
You probably won't write as many tickets, but you'll damned sure get more compliance. And that
IS the
goal, isn't it?
As well, MARKED cars are highly visible to the general public.
Therefore, when "patrolling" they're also having the effect of reducing crime through an "omnipresence."
It's the
DAMN!! They're everywhere! approach
that makes it happen.
As to the number of people that get away. I'm not surprised it's not higher.
Police chases for anything other than major (forcible) felonies, are pointless, dangerous to everyone from the officer to the innocent citizen (left out the suspect intentionally-I don't care what happens to them!), and generally uncalled for.