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Type: Media Gallery

Section: Vehicle Ops

Ford Stealth PI Concept

The Ford Motor Co. produced a "stealth" version of its 2012 Police Interceptor for an automotive trade show. Ford has no current plants to produce the stealth concept vehicle, yet it released additional photos showing its spy-car features that include lighting that isn't noticible until its activated, a secret weapons compartment in the glove box and more sinister body styling lines. The vehicle appeared at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in early November. Photos are courtesy of Ford.

November 12, 2010

Ford designer Melvin Betancourt developed a customized undercover stealth version of the 2012 Police Interceptor, described as 'stylish and full of high-tech surprises.' The inspiration for the project came from Lockheed's SR-71 'Blackbird' - the long range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998.

Oshkosh Defense TPV

Oshkosh Defense's Tactical Protector Vehicle (TPV) looks ready for serious business. It's a large vehicle compared to a passenger SUV, but it's actually smaller than some other tactical rescue vehicles designed for the police market. Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense has been making armored rolling stock for the U.S. military since 1918. The Oshkosh Defense TPV—the company's first tactical response vehicle for law enforcement—benefits from its manufacturer's long history of making military vehicles. Read POLICE Magazine's "First Look" article on the TPV.

June 22, 2010

The TPV was built for urban or rural response due to its 116-inch wheelbase (shorter than other ARVs for better maneuverability), a ground clearance of 13 inches, a width of 85 inches, and a governed speed of almost 75 mph. It arrives with optional four-wheel drive.

Carbon Motors E7 Patrol Car

Firefighters, the military, paramedics, even postal carriers, drive vehicles built for their jobs. The Carbon Motors' E7 would give law enforcement officers such a vehicle. Time will tell whether it becomes the "patrol car of the future." But here's a closer look at its purpose-built (mostly interior) features that have made an impression with officers.

June 7, 2010

The Carbon Motors E7 prototype patrol vehicle looks something like a cross between an exotic sports car and a prop vehicle from a science fiction film. Its body styling is dynamic, muscular, almost startling, and it has the ability to visibly excite police audiences. It's powered by a 3.0-liter diesel engine and rear-wheel drive powertrain.

Kawasaki Concours 14P Motorcycle

Kawasaki reentered the law enforcement market with the 2009 Concours 14P police motorcycle that arrived in June. The Idaho State Police bought seven bikes to become the first agency to begin using them for motor patrol. For 2010, the company added a few upgrades such as heated hand grips, traction control and a tire pressure moniting system as standard features. Photos are of the 2009 Concours 14P and courtesy of Beaudry Motors Inc.

May 6, 2010

Kawasaki returned to the police motorcycle market with the Concours 14P, a sport touring model. The 2010 version is now available from Beaudry Motors Inc., Kawasaki's Idaho-based factory authorized police dealer.

Ford Patrol: Through the Years

The Ford Motor Co.'s March announcement that it will introduce a new patrol car has been met with a high level of interest from officers who have been driving the Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor since the 1990s. Ford has been producing vehicles for law enforcement for almost 100 years. Here's a look at photos and ads through the years that feature the company's vehicles, beginning with a Model T police truck produced in 1919.

April 19, 2010

In 1919, Ford produced a Model T police truck (known by its slang term 'Paddy' wagon) that police departments used to transport inebriated revelers to a holding cell. The company had produced a similar field ambulance during World War I that was also a Model T.

Michigan State Police Vehicle Evaluation

Each year, the Michigan State Police driving unit evaluates law enforcement vehicles from the new model year. The unit evaluates patrol cars, SUVs and motorcycles using a series of tests that test each vehicle's performance, ergonomics and mechanic-friendly qualities. The results are tallied and included in a report that's used by police fleet managers to aid in the decision to purchase patrol vehicles.

March 31, 2010

Once a year, vehicle training officers from the Michigan State Police take new patrol vehicles out to a raceway and pursuit course to evaluate them on acceleration and top speed, braking, ergonomics, fuel economy and communications.

Ford's Police Interceptor Sedan

Ford's new Taurus-based police interceptor will replace the aging "Crown Vic" in late 2011. Like the civilian version of the 2010 Taurus, the new full-sized patrol car will arrive in all-wheel and front-wheel drive versions and a pair of powertrain configurations. The V-6 engines will deliver better performance than many current V-8s, according to Ford.

March 12, 2010

The Ford Police Interceptor sedan replaces the Crown Vic, bringing more power and fuel savings with its V-6 than the previous V-8-powered patrol car.

Dodge Challenger Patrol Car

A Texas Chrysler dealer is offering a powerhouse law enforcement version of the re-introduced Dodge Challenger muscle car that can reach 165 mph. The vehicle is available with a variety of custom options and is currently being used by several Texas agencies as a highway car for drug interdiction duty in solid black. We've blogged about the Challenger. Now, take a more in-depth tour with this gallery. Photos courtesy of Group 1 Automotive.

December 11, 2009

Group 1 Automotive in Dallas is offering a 'special service' Dodge Challenger with a custom-tuned V-8 engine that's capable of more than 400 hp, which would make it the most powerful patrol car available. It can reach a top speed of 165 mph. It arrives with black OEM wheels and can also be had in the more stealth solid black.

Motorcycle Skills Competition

An annual California police motorcycle skills competition drew almost 500 officers to a sun-drenched parking lot along the Huntington Beach sand to compete for top-rider honors, train on patterns of neatly arranged orange cones and share a few moments of levity about their specialized patrol work. The Orange County Traffic Officer's Association hosted the annual police motorcycle skills competition, which nearly doubled in attendance from a year ago.

October 8, 2009

Officers form a two-by-two line while preparing to run through the test patterns of cones. The event began shortly after 9 a.m., and officers tested their skills of maneuvering bikes that weighed between 700 and 900 pounds through tight spaces and around narrow turns.

Classic Chevy Patrol Cars

This week's announcement that General Motors is bringing back the Chevy Caprice patrol car, an officer favorite it stopped producing in 1996, put the editors of POLICE Magazine in the mood to remember the Chevy patrol cars of years past. Chevy has a strong legacy in the patrol car market, and the reintroduction of the Caprice patrol car has excited officers who remember the hot pursuer of the 1990s. We'll start off with the 1954 Chevy Bel Air, a patrol car that was affordable and powerful.

October 6, 2009

Here's a precursor to the 1959 Chevy Biscayne that set a new standard for law enforcement vehicles with the specially tuned, policy only version with a 348-cubic-inch V8 capable of propelling the car to a then-impressive 135 mph. This is the hard-top, two-door 1954 Bel Air Sports Coupe. The vehicles were relatively cheap to purchase and powerful. Photo via Zanthia/Flickr.

2011 Chevrolet Caprice

General Motors executives announced they plan to begin production of a new rear-wheel drive Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle today at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Denver. The 2011 Caprice PPV will be available in two configurations: a 355-hp V8 that generates an estimated 384 lb-ft of torque and a tamer V6. An undercover version will also be available. Regardless of how it is configured, the sleek Caprice PPV is likely to make an impression on traffic scofflaws. Revealing the concept car, GM executive Jim Campbell touted the car's bold and commanding presence. He asked, "Can you imagine this baby in your rearview mirror?"

October 5, 2009

The rear-wheel-drive Caprice returns in 2011 to join GM's police lineup that also includes the Impala patrol car and Tahoe SUV patrol vehicle. The company has a long history in law enforcement, with notable models including the 1959 Chevy Biscayne, the 1965 'big-block' Chevys, the 1976 Impala and the 1994 Caprice.

Police Motorcycles: 2009

Officers patrolling for agencies that purchased motorcycles from the 2009 model year will be riding one of six models. Harley-Davidson, which began producing police motorcycles in 1908, offers the Road King and Electra Glide (identical engine with sidecar mounting). BMW's R1200 RT-P is a favorite of the California Highway Patrol and Los Angles Sheriff's Department. The company also offers the G650. In 2007, Honda began producing its ST1300, a compact, performance bike. And H-D subsidiary Buell began producing a police version of its Ulysses sportbike in late 2008. Roads can't contain that bike, which has already been put to use by several rural departments.

September 16, 2009

BMW offers two police motorcycles: the R1200 RT-P (pictured) and G650. The RT-P, which is favored by the CHP and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, is the police version of a civilian model that offers an 1170 cc boxer twin motor rated at 110 hp. The bike uses two batteries: one to start and an auxiliary to run the lights, onboard computer and other gear. There are analog and digital speedometers; the later allows the officer to pace a vehicle, monitor its speed and store that information in the onboard computer. The bike arrives with mounts for a shotgun, baton, radio and laser gun. Photo via BMW Motor Co.

Armored Rescue Vehicles

In the past decade, a new wave of commercial ARVs specifically built for law enforcement has hit the market. Few agencies could afford these big-ticket items prior to then, so initially the expense made it slow-going for the police armored vehicle industry. Then 9/11 changed law enforcement's attitude, and the formation of the Department of Homeland Security and its grant programs led to unprecedented funding for local law enforcement equipment, including ARVs. Responding to this increased demand, ARV manufacturers are developing the next generation of ARVs to meet the needs of contemporary tactical officer.

July 17, 2009

Lenco produces the B.E.A.R. (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response). The B.E.A.R. is built on a commercial truck chassis, using commercial parts, that makes it mechanic-friendly and brings warranty support from the manufacturer. The vehicle features certified hardened steel armor and ballistic glass that's capable of multiple hits, blast-resistant floors, specially designed gunports, roof hatches and multiple ingress/egress doors. The B.E.A.R.'s larger size allows up to 15 personnel to be transported and 25 to 30 persons to be evacuated. This is an ARV with multiple uses, including emergency/hostage rescue, TEMS, etc. The interior compartment is capable of housing the logistics needs of most SWAT teams.

Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Ford's Crown Vic Police Interceptor (2009) is a workhorse patrol car for big-city and small-town LE agencies. The automaker has committed to producing it through 2011. Known as the CVPI, it has been a staple in the fleets of the Los Angeles Police Department and New York State Police, as well as the South Dakota Highway Patrol and Sandy Springs (Ga.) Police Department.

July 13, 2009

Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the workhorse patrol car for both big-city and small-town law enforcement agencies, and the automaker has committed to producing it through 2011. It's been a staple use in the fleets of the Los Angeles Police Depatment and New York State Police, as well as the South Dakota Highway Patrol and Sandy Springs (Ga.) Police Department.

Electric Vehicles

Current trends indicate that saving money and improving community relations will continue to drive law enforcement policy decisions for the foreseeable future. Following this train of thought, vehicles that run on electricity instead of gasoline and operate at lower speeds conducive to personal interaction are good news for both public safety and the public. Fortunately, there are several options available to agencies looking to take advantage of these innovative modes of transportation.

July 10, 2009

Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) manufactures battery-electric vehicles that look very much like golf carts. But these diminutive autos come in a variety of sizes and styles with many options to customize them to your agency's needs. With a top speed of 25 mph, GEM cars have a range of up to 30 miles on a charge. They are battery-electric, operate on a 72-volt battery system, and plug into a standard 110-volt outlet.

International Patrol

Whereas the Dodge Charger and Ford Crown Victoria have been staple patrol cars in the United States, police agencies outside of the country use BMW, Subaru, Skoda and a variety of other automaker brands for officers on the job. Check out some of the more colorful international vehicles patrolling cities in Europe, Canada and other areas. In one instance, a Canadian agency is taking a progressive approach by using an electric vehicle.

July 9, 2009

Subaru Impreza Gendarmerie. Photo courtesy of Colargol87 (Flickr.com)

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