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.

Decatur Electronics Gemini Headliner Video System

Strobe Warning System

2011 Dodge Charger Pursuit

Law enforcement agencies such as the Boise (Idaho) Police Department have opted for Chrysler's 2011 Dodge Charger Pursuit as their new patrol car to replace the Crown Vic being phased out by Ford this year. Rather than introduce a new model, Chrysler opted to upgrade its existing Charger. For the 2011 model year, Chrysler added a Pentastar V-6 engine option and added electronic stability control to the suspension for better handling during higher-speed pursuits. Watch our Charger video feature from the Michigan vehicle testing.

Alpine's Pit-bull VX SWAT Truck

Alpine Armoring's Pit-bull VX SWAT Truck debuted at the 2011 IACP conference in Chicago, and the sleek, imposing vehicle looks like it may have rolled off an action-movie set. The 4x4 truck, which is built on a Ford F-550 chassis, offers armor protection up to NIJ Level IV to stop high-power rifle rounds, including 7.62x51, 7.62x54, and 5.56x45. View our gallery for more on this vehicle. Photos courtesy of Alpine Armoring.

In-Service Cop Cars: Dodge Charger Pursuit

In the the race to replace the Ford Crown Vic on patrol, the Dodge Charger Pursuit arguably had a leg up on the competition, because Chrysler introduced it in 2006 and has worked out some of the initial kinks in the transition from a retail to police vehicle. Agencies who buy Chargers enthuse about the muscular V-8 HEMI and aggresive styling. View our gallery of in-service Chargers, and then read "The New Recruits: In-Service Cop Cars" for detailed stories of agencies using them. Photos provided by the respective agencies unless otherwise noted.

K-9 transport system

Do Police Have to be Perfect?

If we start punishing officers for every mistake, just because an encounter ended in the justified shooting of a suspect, then officers will surely minimize their contact with suspects.

The Pursuit Pickup Truck

Ford's new F-150 Police Responder is designed for patrol duty both on and off the road.