Chapter 33: P.I.T.

Jimmy scavenged two surplus revolver holsters from the equipment room. Since revolvers had fallen out of common use, the old gear was just gathering dust. Holsters were considered consumables, so Jimmy simply mentioned it to the supply officer and obtained them.

One was a leg holster, which he strapped to his right thigh. He secured the holster’s tether to his duty belt to prevent it from sagging due to the weight while walking. He practiced walking and running with it until he was accustomed to the feel, ensuring it was secure yet easy to draw from before he felt truly comfortable.

The other was a shoulder holster, which was unsuitable for duty but perfect for off-duty wear in plain clothes. When on patrol, he wore a bulletproof vest that would push the shoulder holster out of place, causing a visible bulge that restricted arm movement. In plain clothes, however, he could conceal a firearm under a jacket with almost no trace.

His previous backup weapon had been tucked near his ankle, invisible beneath his pant leg. But with the revolver's longer barrel, carrying it at the ankle made for a slow draw, which posed a safety risk. Another alternative was the small of his back, but because he spent long hours driving, keeping a gun there was awkward and uncomfortable.

Jimmy added an extra pouch to his duty belt containing a dozen spare revolver rounds. Combined with the three speedloaders for his primary weapon, his firepower was more than sufficient.

...

Jimmy had fully acclimated to highway patrol. His daily routes were routine, and he was familiar enough with the roads that he no longer feared high-speed chases due to a lack of situational awareness.

Cruising along, Jimmy primarily focused on speeding and reckless driving. Some drivers sped unintentionally on clear, empty roads; for them, a warning pull-over sufficed. Other reckless behavior—such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, weaving, or straddling lanes—was high-risk. These drivers endangered not only themselves but everyone else, and reckless driving was a primary cause of traffic accidents.

Then there was road rage. Road rage in the United States could easily escalate to someone pulling a gun, a completely different level of danger compared to the mere shouting matches seen back home. Road-rage-related assaults were alarmingly frequent.

"Adam 28, Highway Patrol requests assistance to intercept a reckless driver. Heading north on Highway 430 in a black Honda Civic, license plate XXX XXX. Please wait at the Glen Road entrance of Highway 430 for interception. Estimated arrival in 10 minutes."

"Adam 28, copy."

Jimmy activated his lights and siren, sped to the highway entrance, and waited.

About five minutes later, he saw police lights flashing in the distance, with a black sedan speeding ahead of the patrol cars. Jimmy pulled onto the highway, gradually accelerating to 50 mph as he prepared to intercept the oncoming vehicle.

As the sedan approached, Jimmy accelerated to merge into the flow, pulling in behind the suspect. Given the heavy traffic, he couldn't execute a PIT maneuver immediately; he had to shadow the car until the road cleared.

Japanese cars were ubiquitous in the US—cheap and fuel-efficient. They had clear strengths, but also distinct weaknesses: their performance limits were relatively low. Police cruisers were custom-built to reach speeds of up to 150 mph (240 km/h), which could easily outpace many Japanese imports. If not for the heavy traffic, the State Troopers would have taken the suspect down long ago without needing to call for backup.

Checking his rearview mirror, Jimmy saw the State Trooper trailing him by a few dozen yards, showing no immediate sign of overtaking. Jimmy increased his speed. He recalled a moderate curve ahead where most drivers would naturally decelerate.

Surrounding vehicles slowed down and cleared the lanes as they saw the pursuit. Jimmy watched the curve, counting down the seconds. As he reached it, he slowed slightly, then accelerated hard into the black sedan. The car’s rear tires lost traction, and it spun, flipping onto its side across the highway. Jimmy brushed against the guardrail and pushed forward. With the State Trooper right behind him, he had no doubt the driver would be apprehended.

After slowing down and turning around, Jimmy returned to the scene. The driver was already cuffed and stuffed into the back of the State Trooper’s cruiser. Jimmy checked in with the trooper, ensured everything was under control, and continued his patrol. The rest was the State Trooper’s jurisdiction; for the Highway Patrol, their work on the interstates was similar to his, though Jimmy generally patrolled county roads and back lanes.

Jimmy returned to the station, having already filed his report. He just needed the repair shop to inspect the front left fender and side bodywork for some sheet metal repairs and a fresh coat of paint; he didn't think there was any structural damage. He transferred his gear to another cruiser, swapped over the radio, and headed back out.

Police departments usually kept a few spare cruisers. These lacked specialized hardware like radios or patrol equipment, but the basic systems—lights, sirens, and control consoles—were functional. Their partner repair shops performed regular inspections on the fleet.

This was typical for smaller county or rural departments. Large agencies often had their own maintenance divisions capable of overhauling, modifying, and installing ballistic plating in their vehicles. That was why State Troopers never worried about damaging their cruisers during a PIT maneuver—their maintenance departments would restore them to perfect condition, and they had plenty of spares.

A bit of trivia regarding police cruisers: in movies and TV, officers often use their front doors as cover during a shootout. This is because modern police cruisers are required to have ballistic steel plates and Kevlar liners installed in the front doors. However, this only applies to the front doors; the rear doors are unprotected. Furthermore, before 2006, most cruisers had no such armor. Relying on a car for cover was only safe at the engine block or the wheel hubs. The door panels could be easily pierced by rifle fire, making them death traps. The movie trope of hiding behind the body of a car is essentially suicide, betting on the enemy's poor marksmanship.

Since it was the year 2000, Jimmy’s cruiser—aside from factory-specified frame reinforcements—was essentially no different from a civilian model. The era of truly custom-armored police vehicles was still a few years away.

Once a police car was retired, all specialized equipment was stripped, it was repainted in standard colors, and it was sent to the secondary market. Those interested could look into auctions for surplus police equipment in the United States.