OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Omaha Police Department (OPD) has new squad cars with a key feature to get clear verbal commands out quickly.
"Please turn off the vehicle and keep your hands on the steering wheel," said an OPD cruiser.
OPD showed us their brand new talking cruisers today. The southeast precinct has two of them and police said it's a valuable tool for police officers who would normally have to rely on shouting commands.
“One of the messages is for staying on the sidewalk,” said Officer Ruteena Alcantara. “When we have big events and things, it's not so often we can find and use a megaphone. We are often just yelling ourselves and trying to give those loud verbal commands. When you're yelling, you're not very loud or very audible and understandable to people that are in the area. This particular addition to the cruiser is a very clear, concise voice and it's loud enough that everyone's going to hear it. I think it's going to be a great addition."
The messages are also given in Spanish.
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