CHP deploys new ‘low-profile’ patrol vehicles on California freeways. Take a look
Drivers may have a hard time spotting the California Highway Patrol’s new low-profile vehicles roaming freeways across the state.
The CHP plans to deploy 100 specially marked patrol vehicles to crack down on “aggressive lane weaving, triple-digit speeds” and “video game-styled” driving, the agency said in a news release.
The Dodge Durango sport utility vehicles are designed to blend into traffic, making it more difficult for drivers to immediately detect the stealth vehicles, the CHP said.
The covert vehicles aren’t fully incognito, since they still feature antennas and the agency’s logo. Otherwise, the cars resemble other mid-size SUVs on the street, allowing them to go unnoticed.
“The new vehicles give our officers an important advantage,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in the release. “They will allow us to identify and stop drivers who are putting others at risk, while still showing a professional and visible presence once enforcement action is needed.”
A total of 25 of the specially marked patrol vehicles were already on California freeways as of mid-May, while the other 75 will appear on the state’s busiest roadways by June, the state agency said.
Why is CHP deploying covert cars on CA roadways?
The CHP’s new fleet of covert vehicles will give officers an edge, allowing them to crack down on speeding and reckless driving.
“These new tools will help our officers hold the most egregious violators accountable,” CHP said.
According to the CHP, there are more than 390,000 car crashes in California every year — and speed is a factor in 30% of all incidents.
The CHP said it receives about 1,000 reports of reckless driving per day. The state police agency issued nearly 18,000 citations to drivers going more than 100 mph in 2024, according to the news release.
By introducing dozens of low-profile Dodge Durango patrol vehicles to California highways, the agency hopes to reduce injuries and fatalities from high-speed car crashes.
“It’s not about (being) sneaky. It’s not about fair or unfair,” Duryee said. “It’s about safety. It’s about saving lives.”
What do low-profile CHP vehicles look like?
The new Dodge Durangos are mid-size SUVs that come in five colors — red, blue, silver and two shades of gray, according to Lt. Matt Gutierrez with the CHP’s media relations office.
Embossed on the right and left flanks of each vehicle is the California Highway Patrol logo.
However, the symbol is stamped in colors more muted than the logo on a normal CHP patrol car, making it less noticeable to passersby.
When a CHP officer witnesses a motorist speeding or otherwise driving recklessly, they can activate sirens and flashing red and blue lights in the vehicle’s front windshield, grille and side skirts.
The covert vehicles will mainly rove around during the day and will be rarely used for night shifts, Duryee said.
The 100 low-profile cars represent a fraction of the CHP’s new 400-vehicle fleet of Dodge Durango SUVs, Gutierrez said.
Out of the remaining 300 vehicles, 100 will be completely white and 200 will feature the CHP’s traditional black-and-white color scheme, he said.
How much did new patrol vehicles cost?
Each Dodge Durango cost $60,819, according to Gutierrez.
They were purchased during the CHP’s 2022-2023 budget cycle, he said.
Where are special Dodge Durango SUVs deployed in California?
Every California Highway Patrol area office that has multi-lane freeways will get at least one specially marked patrol vehicle, according to the CHP commissioner.
The Dodge Durango SUVs will not be deployed on two-lane highways in rural areas, he said.
Here’s where the low-profile patrol vehicles are stationed in Central and Northern California, and how many are deployed in each area:
San Luis Obispo County:
- San Luis Obispo: 1
- Templeton: 1
Fresno area:
- Fresno: 2
- Madera: 1
Merced County:
- Merced: 1
- Los Banos: 1
Modesto area:
- Modesto: 2
Sacramento area:
- Auburn: 1
- Placerville: 1
- North Sacramento: 2
- South Sacramento: 2
- East Sacramento: 1
- Woodland: 1
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "CHP deploys new ‘low-profile’ patrol vehicles on California freeways. Take a look."
