A C7 Corvette and a fifth-generation Chevy Camaro that were seized by the Ohio Highway Patrol have been repurposed as police cars.
According to Lima, Ohio-based news station WLIO, the high-performance Chevys were seized by the Ohio Highway Patrol after the previous owners were pulled over as part of separate drug investigations. The C7 Corvette appears to be a soft-top convertible model finished in the Torch Red exterior color, while the Camaro looks to be a V6-powered RS model finished in Ashen Gray Metallic. The Ohio Highway Patrol has put its own touches on both vehicles, as well, including police body decals, lights and sirens.
While these two confiscated cruisers look ready for duty, heavy-footed Ohio residents don’t have to worry about the local highway patrol chasing them down in a Corvette or Camaro. These vehicles will not be used for traditional highway patrol activities, WLIO reports, and will instead be brought to car shows and other community events to help police engage with the public and educate them on road safety. Troopers told the news station they hope the two cars will attract local residents to their booth at community events, making it easier for troopers to engage in friendly community outreach.
The two cars, which are owned by the Limo post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, will make appearances at a handful of events in the Lima area in the coming months, WLIO reports.
For those who may be wondering, the Ohio Highway Patrol can usually be seen in its simple silver-painted Chevy Tahoe, Dodge Charger and Ford Explorer patrol cars. These run-of-the-mill cruisers may not be as fast as a C7 Corvette or as stylish as a fifth-gen Chevy Camaro, but they’re much better suited to the demands of policing.
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Comments
When I was a police officer, we would often hear about or read about cars like this. But like the article said, they are nearly never used in actual service, but more for shows, etc. About the only confiscated vehicles that were used (after a very long process to get them after the court process) were trucks and some SUV’s that were then used for drug related under-cover stings.
At a recent Police community events all vehicles were on display and was a great picnic like experience. I asked several officers if they like the rear wheel Explorers and all said, well no we miss the crown vic and only wished they could have more Dodge Charger units in their squad.
I wonder if the people the government stole these from were even guilty?
LOL. You must not have any idea what the process is and how long it takes to seize cars in cases like this. At least where I was a police officer, you had to let the vehicle sit in an impound lot/storage area until the case was over. Even then and with a conviction, it often still took months to actually take the car from them.
In no situation should the police ever end up with a private citizens property. There is simply no reason that should ever happen. If they end up owing the value of the vehicle (for some reason), then it should be sold off, but never given to the police.
You can LOL all you want about it, I see this as theft by the police department, and a sign of a corrupt society.
How is confiscating property any different from levying a fine? With your logic, the government can never impose a fine on anybody. Ok, we’ll just send everybody to jail instead.
Sam, the question isn’t the penalty, but where the proceeds go. If the traffic cops can write tickets that put cash into their own pockets or directly into the departments assets there is a motivation to fine people for the money, not public safety. This would blur the line between law enforcement and organized crime.
You are exactly right Nate. This is just another example of out of control government. The cops need to get off the highways and into the cities and put a stop to looting, arson, burglary, and violent crime. Instead they are too busy trying to confiscate property, or give mom a ticket for 45mph in a 25 zone.
Stolen. As Dan Berning asked: were they even guilty? The way the asset forfeiture laws are written, one doesn’t have to be. The costs to fight it are very high.
This site has become just about totally useless over the past year or so. Zero moderator presence has allowed every story posted here to degenerate into political arguing and off-top nonsense.
>>>>>>>>Site moderator(s)—if there is even one of them—prove me wrong and clean up all the off-topic gibberish in this story.
But I won’t hold my breath waiting.
Sounds like a certain someone wants CENSORSHIP!
Open forum there cupcake, you write what you want, I write what I want.
Agree or disagree, doesn’t matter.
Now…………..have your mom fix you some hot chocolate & some Twinkies so you can go & enjoy Tela Tubbies cartoons with your sister.
The story is about two cars being used to promote LE-civilian harmony. It’s not at all about rights of confiscation, as you seem to think it is. Anything else posted is not on-topic, and any site with any level of moderation would either clean it up or else simply close it to posting.
Historically, there is practically zero oversight here, other than if someone tries to post a link to an outside source, or posts a likely-censored vulgarity. Also historically, such lack of content control has led to an early death of most such sites, as off-topic arguing will drive away any serious posters.
You’re a clueless moron, “Bob”. Go away.
I am pretty sure if its not paid off it goes to the bank. If the courts can prove the vehicle was purchased with illegal funds, then the state or municipality can get possesion of said property.
Cops are the biggest gang there is. Bullies with fullies.
If you are charged and convicted of serious offences involving a motor vehicle, the vehicle should be seized, and forfeited. Then those that put the lives of the public at risk don’t deserve to be driving on a highway. If the owner of the vehicle has a loan on the vehicle or the vehicle is leased, to bad. They should be required to pay the loan off, or the lease and any penalties that would be do. If you value your life, those of your family, friends and innocent children, it is only stiff penalties that will educate reckless and wanton disregard operation on the highway. The unnecessary loss of life and serious injuries must come to an end. Seizure of vehicles, stiff financial penalties and jail time WILL make the roads safer. Parents who give their kids fast new cars because they can afford them might learn a lesson that it doesn’t pay to spoil their kids. If anyone disagrees with these steps, they either fall into the category of reckless speed demons themselves, or believe that because they are wealthy they are above the law, As a former Ambulance Attendant and a retired Police Officer I have witnessed first hand the carnage, and delivered the messages at the front doors that a loved one has died.
If you haven’t witnessed this time and time again you are lucky.