Police Vigilante Missions

Engage in Police Vigilante missions in Grand Theft Auto III to hunt criminals, earn cash, and gain bonuses across Liberty City's dangerous streets.

Ready to clean up the streets of Liberty City and earn some serious cash and bonuses? The Police Vigilante missions are an excellent way to do just that. By hopping into any police vehicle and activating the mission, you'll be tasked with hunting down criminals across the city. Successfully completing these missions will not only net you financial rewards but also permanent upgrades to your armor.

Getting Started

To begin a Police Vigilante mission, follow these steps:

1. Acquire a Police Vehicle: The most straightforward way is to steal a Police Car from the streets or a police station parking lot. You can also use a FBI Car, Enforcer, or Rhino tank later in the game for more robust options.
2. Activate the Mission: Once inside the police vehicle, press the designated button to activate the Vigilante mission (usually the right analog stick button on PlayStation controllers).
3. Target Identification: A red marker will appear on your radar, indicating the location of the target criminal(s).

Mission Structure and Strategy

Each Vigilante mission level requires you to eliminate a set number of criminals within a time limit. The difficulty and number of targets increase with each successful level.

General Tips for Success:

• Vehicle Choice is Key:
  • Early Game: A standard Police Car is your only option. Be mindful of its durability.
  • Mid-Game: The Enforcer (found in later areas or after certain missions) offers superior armor and ramming capabilities.
  • Late Game/Optimal: The Rhino tank is the ultimate Vigilante vehicle. Its invincibility and powerful cannon make short work of any criminal, allowing you to easily reach Level 12.
• Weaponry: While your vehicle is your primary weapon, having a good personal arsenal helps.
  • Pistol/Uzi: Useful for drive-bys against exposed targets or when your vehicle is disabled.
  • Shotgun: Excellent for close-quarters combat if you need to exit your vehicle.
  • Grenades/Molotovs: Can be effective against groups of criminals or vehicles, but be careful not to damage your own vehicle.
• Health and Armor:
  • Always start a Vigilante run with full health and armor. Look for Health Pickups (red crosses) and Body Armor vests before starting.
  • If your vehicle is heavily damaged, consider finding a Pay 'n' Spray, but be aware this will cost you valuable time.
• Minimizing Wanted Levels: While you're technically a cop, excessive collateral damage or attacking other police officers will still raise your wanted level. Try to be precise with your attacks. However, if you're in a Rhino, this concern is largely irrelevant.
• Time Management: Keep an eye on the timer. Prioritize reaching and eliminating targets quickly.

Specific Strategies by Vehicle Type:

Using a Police Car:

1. Ramming and Shooting: Drive alongside the target vehicle and perform drive-by shootings with your Pistol or Uzi. Alternatively, ram them repeatedly until their vehicle explodes.
2. Foot Patrol: If a criminal exits their vehicle, quickly exit yours and gun them down with a Shotgun or Uzi.
3. Repair Locations: Familiarize yourself with Pay 'n' Spray locations in Portland, Staunton Island, and Shoreside Vale. You'll likely need them.

Using an Enforcer:

1. Superior Ramming: The Enforcer can withstand significantly more damage than a standard Police Car. Use its weight to ram target vehicles off the road or into walls until they explode.
2. Cover: Its larger size can also provide better cover if you need to engage on foot.

Using a Rhino Tank (Highly Recommended):

1. Acquisition: The Rhino becomes available after completing all main story missions or by using a cheat code. It spawns in the military base in Shoreside Vale.
2. Cannon Fire: The Rhino's cannon can destroy most criminal vehicles in one or two shots. Aim carefully to conserve time.
3. Invincibility: The Rhino is practically indestructible, making these missions trivial. You can simply drive over target vehicles or pedestrians without concern for damage.
4. Ignore Wanted Levels: With the Rhino, you can largely ignore your wanted level as you are immune to most police attacks.

Rewards

Completing Vigilante missions provides cumulative rewards:

• Cash: Each successful level completion grants you a cash reward, which increases with higher levels.
• Armor Upgrade: Reaching Level 12 of the Vigilante missions permanently increases your maximum armor capacity from 100 to 150. This is an invaluable upgrade for the rest of the game, making future missions significantly easier.

Aim to complete Level 12 as early as possible, especially once you gain access to the Rhino tank, to benefit from the permanent armor boost throughout your Liberty City adventures.