New N.J. State Police 'Ghost' Cruisers Drawing Ire and Praise
By Robin Culverwell
WEST TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- In the Garden State, as the unofficial start of summer arrives, a new police tool on the roadways is generating some controversy.
New Jersey State Police have unveiled what they're calling "ghost cars" -- police cruisers that are marked with the state police logo, but the markings are dark grey on black instead of the typical bold and contrasting colors.
On the police department's Facebook page, some drivers say use of these vehicles amounts to entrapment.
Bu state police captain Stephen Jones disagrees.
"How are we entraping somebody if we're sitting on the roads and they're blowing by us?" he asks. "We're letting them exhibit their natural tendencies when they think nobody else is looking. If we are able to pull those people over and give them some incentive to drive better, then we're going to consider the roads safer because of that."
No matter what people think, these new cars are out there. And Jones says their goal is to get through the holiday weekend with no fatalities on New Jersey roads.