While we were in Manhattan on Sunday Oct. 4th we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn into lower Manhattan. On our way a subway station, while walking on Broadway, we spotted a sight that is guaranteed to strike fear into any speeders heart (not). Here are a couple of shots:
Perhaps at low speeds people will not hear them roll through red lights as though they were stop signs. =P
Where I am from the traffic dept is separate from police, they don't have red flashing lights, theirs are yellow. So these are beat cops, or just meter maids?
From what I've seen: -- The NYPD "meter maids" or "brownies" who hand out parking tickets drive around in a black or brown car with white markings (sometimes the car is a Prius). -- The NYPD traffic agents who direct traffic at intersections, monitor closed off streets during parades, street fairs, demonstrations, etc. are the ones who drive cars in the traditional NYPD colors white with blue markings (like the Prius shown). I don't think either the meter maids or the traffic agents are regular cops who do car chases in pursuit of speeders, bank robbers, criminals, et al. I think they're considered civilian employees of the NYPD.
