Radio Car

[Geo]

I have heard the phrase "radio car" used now and then (specifically to NY) and was wondering what that means. I presume it is simply a patrol officer as opposed to a special unit.
GEO

[darrell]

Radio car is simply a fully marked and uniformed manned patrol car thats primary purpose is to take calls. Basically a regular police unit.

[mcsap]

Since every car is now radio equipped ( except perhaps certain undercover cars) , we just call them a patrol car or a marked unit.

45 plus years ago, not all police cars had radios , some had to stop every so often and call in by phone to check for any dispatches. The first cruisers equipped were called radio cars to distinguish them from those that didn't have them.

[oscarmitre]

Did the New York City Police Department routinely call their mobile patrols RMPs? (radio mobile patrol I assume). I think I remember many years ago reading a book where the patrol car was referred to as an RMP. This was back when the cars were that sort of dark blue-green and white with the single red dome light on the roof.

[99TAC]

Yes, NYPD still refers to their cars as RMPs, although I never new what it stood for.

[darrell]

Radio Mabile Patrol RMP yes