UK Cops Love Lexus; The Yanks Gotta Have a Hemi
For the sixth consecutive year, Lexus will hang out its shingle at the National Police Fleet Managers Association Conference in Swindon, UK. According to Easier Motoring, the brand will be "demonstrating the qualities that make Lexus models ideal for police work." ToMoCo's hybrid models, known for their low operating costs and reliability, are already popular with UK law enforcement fleet managers. Meanwhile, the McCook (IL) police department's approaching its patrol car needs from a more "traditional" perspective. Suburban Life reports they've just taken delivery of two Hemified Dodge Chargers. The Chief's making no bones about his carbon-oblivious reasoning: "The new cars are painted metallic black with white graphics that are slightly slanted. McCook Police Chief Frank Wolfe hopes that these graphics give the effect that the cars are moving very quickly, and that they cannot be outrun… 'With the new cars, people will notice us, and hopefully, in most cases that will stop them from committing a crime.'" Old School.
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Politics is right. Just ask any motorcycle cop who's ridden both BMW and Harley-Davidson police bikes which they prefer. It's almost unanimous: BMW. So what do you see in primary use for police departments? Little matters of cost and pressure. In the former, H-D does a certain amount of subsidization on the purchase, er, lease price. The latter? A couple of years ago, Henrico Country (northern suburbs of Richmond) decided to look into a couple of BMW's to add to the Harley fleet. At the country commissioners meeting, all the HOG members residing in Henrico Country (supported by outlying county members) showed up to voice their disapproval about buying foreign bikes. The country still bought them. The police love them.
Even without going as far asa Prius, what about an Escape hybrid for some patrol duties? I figure that at least has to be comperable to the Impala in room and durability, while still delivering marginally better fuel economy.
The type of vehicle a cop needs depends I think on where they patrol. In the sleepy suburb I grew up in, just about anything would do, just go for the mileage. But the highway patrol and in the city where I live now, I'd still want a big sedan. Locally, a police officer had to stop a 'charging' cube van head on. For that kind of work, I'll take the Crown Vic.
Glenn126: Even with tons of idling (the Prius gas engine would cycle on and off) I’d bet they could get 35 mpg US, vs what, 12 for Crown Vics? Any car gets 0 mpg while idling. That (obvious point which I'm sure you already knew) aside, idling uses a remarkably small amount of gas. I just took part in a test in which we idled a car until it ran dry. It took over 10 hours to burn 4 gallons of gas (it's a 3.7L V6). I have to wonder if a hybrid actually uses more gas constantly re-starting the engine.