[jws]

This is not true. A pair of images recently made the rounds of the internet with that speculation, but that was not a traffic stop.

Some models of police cars overheat if left running and parked on very hot days. The officers leave the cars running to power their electronics and lights. Some officers were trying to ameliorate that situation.

Snopes can tell you more.

[st3v3r]

I honestly cannot trust that. With all of the abuses the police have pulled off over the years when it comes to this sort of thing, I cannot trust them. They do not deserve the benefit of the doubt.

[NoGravitas]

The Snopes story seems to just take the response from the police department at face value. The story on Jalopnik[0] is more skeptical.

[0]: https://jalopnik.com/is-this-virginia-police-department-popp...

[jessaustin]

The officers leave the cars running to power their electronics and lights.

Those could be powered by the two giant batteries installed in every police vehicle. The engine is left running for the air conditioner. If "experts" are claiming the above, they are not experts.

[fil_a_del_fee_a]

Snopes is biased. Police cars are engineered to run 24/7 in the blistering heat with all electronics running. That is why there are specially created models from GM, Ford, and Dodge that are beefed up to handle the stress of every day police use.

[hx87]

And if that fails, they can always buy hybrid models that don't need the engine idling all the time.