The Highway Patrol uses a combination of traditional police cruisers and motorcycle units to patrol limited-access and municipal roadways within the city limits of Philadelphia, encouraging rapid traffic flow and enforcing motor vehicle safety standards in line with its highway patrol mandate; however, the unit is also utilized as an elite high-crime task force, and is often sent into areas experiencing crime waves to perform massed patrols and searches. The Highway Patrol serves as a distinct and unique unit within the larger police department, and there are only a few other agencies within the United States that perform a similar municipal service, most notably in New York City and Boston.
Re-allocation
Because of the rampant high crime rates in 2005-2006, Mayor John F. Street and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell announced that the Highway Patrol would be removed from interstate highways in Philadelphia, with motor vehicle enforcement being transferred over to the Pennsylvania State Police Troop K headquarters on Belmont Avenue. This includes I-76, I-95, and I-676. In response, the members of the Fraternal Order of Police have sued the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in both the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and U.S. District Federal Court in Philadelphia in order to keep the interstate highways under Philadelphia Police jurisdiction. The Philadelphia Highway Patrol will concentrate on specialized patrols in high-crime area. The only non-Interstate Highway, the four-mile Roosevelt Expressway between I-76 and N. 9th Street, will still be patrolled by the Highway Patrol. The Expressway Patrol was formed to patrol the other major restricted access expressways and highways in Philadelphia, the Expressway Patrol is a division of the Traffic unit.
Appearance
In addition to its distinctive patch, worn opposite of the regular Philadelphia P.D. patch, the members of the Highway Patrol also wear the so-called "50-Mission" unstiffened cap, instead of the 8-point stiff NYPD-style cap, the full Sam Browne Belt without cross strap,, and knee-high black "cavalry" boots and breeches instead of regular trousers and shoes. They also wear a double-breasted black leather coat instead of the regular nylon patrol jacket. This uniform style, which dates back to the 1920s when the Highway Patrol officers rode around on motorcycles for all patrols. Because of the mixed use of patrol cars and motorcycles today, the only "non-interchangeable" item is the cap, which is replaced with a safety helmet mandated for all motorcycle officers..
