North Carolina Community Concerned About Sheriff's New 'Ghost' Cruiser

The Durham County Sheriff's Office recently announced the addition of its new "ghost" patrol vehicle to its lineup of squad cars. The gray Charger has a different, lighter look than its other patrol vehicles, making it harder to spot on the road and especially at night.

The sheriff's office introduced the newest addition to its lineup of patrol vehicles on January 13. The "ghost" car will be used by DCSO's Community Policing and Traffic unit. The department said with its low profile graphics, "you'll never see it coming."

This comment in particular sparked a bit of controversy, with many in the community questioning the need for a patrol car whose purpose it to not be seen.

"Not a big fan of police cars that can't be visible. I think that police need to be visible. I think their presence needs to be felt," said Josh Toth, a resident of Durham. "When they have the ability to hid like that, it's more about revenue-generating and less about actual public safety and enforcing the law."

Not everyone agrees — other Durham residents believe the ghost car is clearly identifiable.

"I think you can kind of see the car because of the whole word 'sheriff' that's on the side of it," said Nancy Candelario-Mendoza.

On Monday (January 18), officials with the department responded to the community's concerns, saying the initial video was meant to be "a lighthearted look at a tool our traffic unit uses to keep roads safe" and that it was taken out of context. However, DCSO said its appreciates the feedback it has received from the community.

Photo: Getty Images


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