Albany's full-time traffic officer is now patrolling streets and making stops in an unmarked dark blue 2006 Dodge Magnum.

Police say that the unmarked car helps them stop aggressive drivers who don't immediately identify it as a police vehicle.

The police department purchased the car for $21,200 when it became time to replace an older vehicle in its fleet. It cost about $8,000 more to outfit the vehicle for police work. The car has been on the road for almost a month.

Last summer, the department assigned Officer Robert Hayes to full-time traffic enforcement, the first officer to have the assignment in several years.

Starting Sept. 24, Officer Buck Pearce will become the department's second full-time traffic officer. He will be driving a Ford Crown Victoria, also dark blue and unmarked.

Between the two officers, the city will have someone working specifically on traffic enforcement seven days a week, Capt. Eric Carter said.

The enforcement is about "changing driving behavior and educating the public," Carter said.

Deputy John Trenary, a member of the Linn County Sheriff's Office traffic team and also a handler for a drug-sniffing dog, drives a grey unmarked Dodge Magnum.

Trenary said that when he previously worked in a marked car, on average he stopped 2.8 vehicles a month for traveling more than 80 mph on county roads. With the unmarked Magnum, Trenary said he has stopped an average of 26.5 vehicles a month for traveling more than 80 mph.

Trenary said the numbers show how effective the unmarked car is in stopping aggressive drivers.

On Wednesday, the deputy was driving the Magnum north on Peoria Road when a vehicle came up behind him and tailgated him for about a mile.

The vehicle then passed him and sped up to 96 mph before Trenary pulled him over.

The sheriff's office traffic team also includes an unmarked Crown Victoria and two marked Dodge Chargers.