Police Radar Bands Used by State


Poilce Radar Bands Used by State
Police Radar Bands

Radar detectors are just fancy radios. The frequency of police radar detectors has been tuned to a particular microwave frequency. 

The military used radar as a way of signaling an enemy nearby. It has progressed through the years to be used by police departments to detect speeders.

Keep reading to find out what type of radar the police in your state use. Plus if you are looking for a reliable long-range radar detector to protect yourself please read my post, The Best Long Range Radar Detectors.

Check out the most popular Radar Detectors at Escort.com just Click Here.

To see the most popular Radar Detectors and gadgets at Cobra.com just Use this Link. 

Police Radar Bands

Both state and local police departments use radar. The type of radar they use can vary from department to department within a state. Below are the most common types of radar used and which states you may run into them in.

If a state is listed it could be the state department or local municipal departments that use that type of radar.

Aircraft

It’s heavily debated whether or not police actually use aircraft to detect speeders. People tend to doubt that police would use time and expensive resources just to catch people speeding.

Each state can choose the type of aircraft they are going to use. It could be helicopters or airplanes.

Iowa uses a fleet of 8 helicopters. Florida uses a fleet of planes including an 8 Cessna and a 1 Piper Twin engine.

Police are not out there flying every day. Often the planes are used for other purposes in conjunction with the speeding patrols. Illegal hunting, trafficking of illegal goods are all activities that are tracked using aircraft.

States that use Aircraft

In the Southeast region, there is Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.

In the Northeast region, there is Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont.

In the Midwest region, there is Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

In the Southwest region, there is Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

In the Western region, there is Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, West Virginia.

X-Band

The easiest to detect and the most common type of radar used is the X-Band. Every radar detector on the market will alert you to this type of radar.

This is because it’s on a very commonly used frequency. The frequency is far-reaching, so you can detect it up to 4 miles away.

Unfortunately, this means your radar detector can be set off by things like automatic doors. Great that you are alerted early to police radar, but terrible that you will be getting a lot of false alarms.

States that use X-Band

In the Southeast region, there is Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.

In the Northeast region, there is Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York.

In the Midwest region, there is Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota.

In the Southwest region, there is New Mexico.

In the Western region, there is Hawaii, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

K-Band

For closer range detection police will use the K-Band. This means for smaller roads with lower speed limits.

Unfortunately, it means you will be a lot closer to the police detection device when you realize they are checking speed. Your risk of being caught speeding is higher.

Because the radar band is short range, you should get less false alarms from things like automatic doors.

The false alarm rate for radar detectors that detect K-Band is increasing though. This type of radar is being used more often in automatic doors.

States that use K-Band

The K-Band is one of the two most popular police radar detectors.

All states use the K-Band.

Ka-Band

Police departments use the Ka-Band now as the most reliable speed detection device. It is the most reliable method for speed detection.

The Ka-Band is not used by automatic doors or other devices. This means when your radar detector goes off, it’s most likely the police.

States that use Ka-Band

The Ka-Band is one of the two most popular police radar detectors.

All states use the Ka-Band.

POP

When police started using radar to catch people speeding, people started using radar detectors to be alerted to police presence. In response to this, police started using POP.

POP radar’s main use is to defeat the use of radar detectors. The radar works by sending out very short bursts of radar.

The idea is that the short bursts won’t be long enough to trigger the radar detector. The bursts are supposed to be long enough though to detect the vehicle’s speed.

POP is not a popular method of detection for police. Because the bursts are so short, it makes reading the speed of vehicles difficult.

Courts have ruled consistently that the readings are not trustworthy.

States that use POP

In the Southeast region, there is Florida, North Carolina.

In the Northeast region, there is New Jersey.

In the Midwest region, there is Iowa, Michigan, Ohio.

In the Southwest region, there is Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas.

In the Western region, there is Hawaii.

Laser

Laser is unique on this list, it doesn’t use radar that operates on microwave frequencies. Laser uses a light beam that is aimed at one particular vehicle.

This is the most accurate form of speed detection because the officer knows exactly which car is speeding. Drivers also have no warning when they are about to have laser used on them.

The only way you can defeat an officer using Laser is by using a laser jammer.

States that use Laser

In the Southeast region, there is Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.

In the Northeast region, there is Connecticut, Delaware, District Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont.

In the Midwest region, there is Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

In the Southwest region, there is Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

In the Western region, there is Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

ENRAD

ENRAD is not a common form of speed detection. Only Pennsylvania uses this method. The officer uses a stationary device to detect speed further down the road.

Two metal U-shaped structures are set up across from each other on either side of the road.

The one U-shaped structure has transmitters. The second U-shaped structure has receivers. The transmitters send two infrared beams of light into the two receivers.

As the vehicle is passing through the two beams of light, the device calculates how long it took. Then the speed calculation is sent to a police car down the road.

States that use ENRAD

Pennsylvania

The local agencies of Pennsylvania are the users of this particular police radar method.

VASCAR

This is the manual form of speed detection by police. An officer will stand by a stationary object with a stopwatch. When the vehicle passes that object he will start the stopwatch.

When the vehicle passes another predetermined stationary object he will stop the stopwatch.

To determine the vehicle’s speed the officer divides the distance by time.

VASCAR is unique because it can be used from a moving or stationary police car.

States that use VASCAR

In the Southeast region, there is Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina.

In the Northeast region, there is Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.

In the Midwest region, there is Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin.

In the Southwest region, there is Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma.

In the Western region, there is Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington.

Automated

Automated speed detectors are permanently installed on the side of the road to monitor traffic. These types of cameras are often used by news channels for traffic updates.

The camera can also be set up to determine the traffic’s speed on the road.

Often times the system is connected to a plate recognition system to assign tickets automatically.

States that use Automated

In the Southeast region, there is Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.

In the Northeast region, there is District Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont.

In the Midwest region, there is Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota.

In the Southwest region, there is Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

In the Western region, there is California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming.

Guard Yourself Against Police Radar

Police departments across the country have equipped themselves with a wide range of speed detecting devices. Shield yourself with your own radar detector.

The best 2021 radar detectors are like palm-sized computers with software and sensors to identify false signals from accurate alerts. The latest and best of all radar detectors are the following:

* Valentine One V1 Gen 2 click here to view on amazon is the best overall radar detector used by the police.

* Cobra Road Scout click here to view on Amazon. This is the radar detector that has a built-in dash camera.

* Uniden R7 Laser/Radar Detector use this link to visit Amazon, is the radar detector that has the longest range.

* Escort MAX360C Laser view on Amazon. Use this link. This is the radar detector that is the most user-friendly.

* Rocky Mountain Radar Moto-Raptor is a radar detector that is best for motorcycles.

* Escort Max 3 Laser Radar Detector Use this link to view on Amazon. This is the best radar detector with a price of under $400.

* Uniden R3 Laser/Radar Detector is the best overall value. Use this link to visit Amazon.

* Cobra RAD 480i Laser Radar Detector click here to view on Amazon. This is the radar detector is the best budget radar detector.

* Whistler CR73 is the best impulse buy a radar detector.

* Escort Redline 360C is the latest and ranked number 1 as the best radar detector, with the advanced ability to filter out most false alerts. It also has GPS enabled detector, and to maximize sensitivity, all antennas are incorporated into an LNA. This is one of the most expensive radar detectors in the market today.

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