Ralph Lux served with the FBI for over 40 years in the Sacramento Field Office as the Automotive Fleet Manager. His primary duties included identifying division vehicle requirements, vehicle acquisition, specification and modification. The overall fleet responsibility was to ensure vehicles fit the investigative mission of the FBI and served as an effective investigative tool. Acquiring and providing vehicles through multiple sources to fit into any investigative scenario either overt or covert was his specialty.
Mr. Lux routinely attended meetings and conferences offered by vehicle manufacturers and private organizations to stay abreast of new vehicle technology, design and market trends. These meetings included test drives where Mr. Lux assisted FBIHQ personnel with selection of vehicles to be purchased by the FBI to support all investigative functions including full time surveillance units. Mr. Lux established an effective liaison with new vehicle manufacturers. T
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Ralph Lux served with the FBI for over 40 years in the Sacramento Field Office as the Automotive Fleet Manager. His primary duties included identifying division vehicle requirements, vehicle acquisition, specification and modification. The overall fleet responsibility was to ensure vehicles fit the investigative mission of the FBI and served as an effective investigative tool. Acquiring and providing vehicles through multiple sources to fit into any investigative scenario either overt or covert was his specialty.
Mr. Lux routinely attended meetings and conferences offered by vehicle manufacturers and private organizations to stay abreast of new vehicle technology, design and market trends. These meetings included test drives where Mr. Lux assisted FBIHQ personnel with selection of vehicles to be purchased by the FBI to support all investigative functions including full time surveillance units. Mr. Lux established an effective liaison with new vehicle manufacturers. This relationship provided information on new vehicle specifications such as popular make, model, trim level and common exterior color choice. This information was used to match official vehicles and surveillance units to cars operated by the general public.
Modification of vehicles for use by the FBI included vehicle cosmetic changes to fit neighborhood demographics, surveillance vehicle modifications to effectively gather intelligence and determining specifications and vehicle configuration of undercover vehicles. Large vehicles such as command posts, SWAT tactical operations units, evidence command posts and any other specialty vehicle to support investigative functions were procured and designed by Mr. Lux.
Vehicle modifications also included the specification and procurement of emergency equipment and lighting. Warning lighting installation, function and location were a high priority. Equipment on Federal cars matched local allied law enforcement agencies as these devices, when activated, are familiar to the public increasing the level of safety to Federal employees and the public. The installation of emergency equipment was accomplished without having a negative effect on vehicle ergonomics or OEM passenger safety systems.
Mr. Lux advised on the installation of covert devices and monitoring equipment on vehicles of special interest to the FBI. Covertly procuring vehicles for use by covert operatives to be directly inserted in special operations or vehicles used for operation practice. These activities required backstopping all financial and DMV transactions to conceal the true owner and vehicle destination.
Mr. Lux served as a Certified Crime Scene Investigator as a member of the FBI Evidence Response Team (ERT). In this capacity Mr. Lux was responsible for searching, seizing, impounding and transportation of vehicles used in a wide variety of crimes and violations that fall under FBI jurisdiction. These duties included assistance to allied law enforcement agencies who requested FBI assistance in major crimes or ongoing local investigations. In addition, Mr. Lux was cross trained in all ERT skills. A partial list of specialized training includes; Post Blast, latent finger prints, human scent transfer, crime scene sketch, crime scene management and Haz Mat protocol, evidence collection and packaging.
In this capacity, Mr. Lux, in addition to traditional crime scene investigative functions, was routinely tasked with locating, reverse engineering and documenting the presence of hidden compartments in vehicles designed to conceal and transport contraband. His expertise was sought out by other FBI divisions and allied law enforcement agencies. He was available to travel with representatives of those agencies to participate and be on site during search warrants executed by those agencies.
Mr. Lux continues to stay abreast of changes in the Automotive industry. In addition, Mr. Lux serves on museum advisory boards, participates as an advisor to movie and TV production on FBI history and official vehicles and equipment utilized by the FBI.
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