Patrol vehicles, what do you get to drive?

[3rd_shift]

For me, it has been small pickup trucks and the occasional Queen Victoria.
Most of which have been older than my oldest underwear I dare to wear.

[EMTGuard]

Plymoth Voyager with medical gear for emergency response.

[EMTGuard]

Inside of the Medical Van has back board, O2, AED, BLS bag and other gear-

[Charger]

Not on patrol anymore, but when I was, we drove the 2000+ Impalas.... and occaisionally got to drive the command vehicle, 2001 Blazer.... I'd take the Impalas over that thing any day though... lol

[N. A. Corbier]

Lets see, over the years I have gotten to drive:
A 1990 Caprice Classic, which was nice.
A 1996 Caprice Classic, which was nice when we installed a laptop mount to hold onto, the thing had leather seats and I slid around in it alot...
A 1986 Crown Victoria, which wasn't nice.
A 1992 Ford Taurus, which plain sucked.
A 1991 Buick Cenutry, which was fully decked out in cheap lightbar and graphics
and
A 1993 Ford Ranger Pickup Truck, which was Ok, other than the fact it was a PU

[ARealCop]

2000 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor with just over 95,000 miles

She is falling apart rapidly!

[N. A. Corbier]

2000 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor with just over 95,000 miles

She is falling apart rapidly!

Take home or shift car? I've noticed that if your agency is smart enough to issue take homes, you'll get alot more service out of em. For a 2000 CVPI to have 95,000 miles on it, with a police agency, is incredible. Give me the days of the Caprice Classic when they started falling apart after 300,000.

[Mr. Security]

2000 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor with just over 95,000 miles

She is falling apart rapidly!

You know what they say....FORD
- Found On Road Dead
- Fix Or Repair Daily
- First On Rust & Dust
- First On Recalls & Dissatisfaction

[Arff312]

For us we have a 1999 toyota tacoma. It is falling apart with over 120 000 miles. We have a amber strobe bar on top. The strobes dont work, the driver door doesnt open some times, the front has damamge and the driver window does not open. But it goes at least. Also we have a golf cart and a bike. Thats it we are trying to replace our truck but they are being cheap.

[OccamsRazor]

The only site I occasionally work that has a vehicle utilizes a 2005 Subaru Forester. It's got 33k on it, and the fuses to the radio/cd were removed and the holder was rendered hors de combat so officers wouldn't listen to it. Oh yeah, the heater...Doesn't.

It's also got the Shucks/Checker $20 amber revolving light on the roof and magnetic logos on the doors.

[N. A. Corbier]

So, they destroyed the resale value of the vehicle so that the employees couldn't listen to CDs or Radio. That's brilliant, really, brilliant. These guys must plan on running that thing into the ground - or it was one of their personal vehicles.

[Charger]

Gotta love it, eh?

Forgot to mention past rides, and give "reviews" of 'em... lol

2000+ Impalas - Nice rides, powerful, and they're a dime-a-dozen in the general public around here, so it's easy to blend in/not be seen... and after seeing the damage from an accident one of my fellow officers got in while driving one, I would have NO problems whatsoever putting my family in one and feeling safe... Downsides: Trannies seem to be an issue... 3 of the 11 cars needed new trannies after only 50k...

The Blazer - Decent ride, weak power... BAD suspension issues, and tranny was a DEFINATE problem... went through 3 in 120k...

Previous companies:
'94 CVPI - JUNK JUNK JUNK JUNK HATE FORD JUNK JUNK JUNK JUNK
Need I say more?

'91 Caprice Police Package - Nice ride, power out the bazonga! Car had almost 250k when we got rid of it for the CVPI, still on original engine/tranny.... Why don't they make them like this anymore?

I tell you what though, I can't wait to get my hands on the wheel of one of the new Charger PD cars <evilgrin>

[Mr. Security]

The only "vehicle" I ever used for patrol (other than a personal one) was a battered Schwinn bicycle with two "doofey" wire baskets on the either side. One time while patrolling a parking lot, I had a kid tell me: "nice bike man!"

[N. A. Corbier]

If we ever do a bike unit, I'm buying Smith and Wesson bikes. I've put quite a bit of time on bikes, as I like to ride bikes, and with gas prices the way they were, and the way that Florida's weather was, I would ride a bike 10 miles to and from work, and then use the bike on patrol at work. (A resort condo property). The residents, guests, and management liked the fact I was more accessable on a bike than in their golf cart with all the flaps down, and that it wasn't a golf cart. I could also go places that the cart couldn't.

I also used the bike (threw it in the trunk of my Taurus, ever buy a Taurus...) on a strip mall-like industrial park in South St. Petersburg. I felt alot safer on a bike that I did in my vehicle, or out on foot. I could disappear with ease, could move quickly and silently, and had instant access to 55 watt forward lights on the handle bars. I cought more burglary in progress that way. They were looking for police or security vehicles. They never heard me ride up, nor were they looking in the shadows of the building's side and loading bays, only the lit street.

When the bike is outfitted correctly, and you have trained riders (Either to a security or police bicycle operator standard, including firing from the mounted position, defensive tactics with the bike, and proper dismount/mount from moving position), you can do alot of proactive enforcement with the bike. I think that's why police agencies love them. What they call community policing, we call proactive enforcement. The mission is the same in both cases - get out there and interact with the community your serving.

[Mr. Security]

If we ever do a bike unit, I'm buying Smith and Wesson bikes...... I could move quickly and silently, and had instant access to 55 watt forward lights on the handle bars. I cought more burglary in progress that way. They were looking for police or security vehicles. They never heard me ride up, nor were they looking in the shadows of the building's side and loading bays, only the lit street.

I've seen their bikes. They look great. I also like the stealth that a bike offers. The bad guys rarely see/hear you until you're right on top of them.

Great way to keep in shape to. Beats sitting on your butt watching it get bigger