Ask the officer Ask the officer (July 21, 2004)

Menlo Park police officer Glenn J. Raggio answers questions about the police and law enforcement. Call 330-6396, or e-mail: asktheofficer@menlopark.org.

Q. Why do you drive an unmarked car?

A. I work predominantly on the west side of Menlo Park. Crime suppression there can be executed in either high-visibility or low-key ways. Using undercover or unmarked cars has proven to be a very effective strategy in preventing crime and spotting bad guys, especially downtown. Bank and business robberies have dropped dramatically since we have implemented the downtown patrol. The "gray car" allows me to blend into traffic. Once you see it up close, of course, it's not hard to recognize it as a police vehicle.

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