CHP Orders Ford Police Utility

[Chilliman]

http://www.motortrend.com/features/a..._next_cruiser/

The California Highway patrol has ordered 1800 Ford Police Utilities (based on the Ford Explorer) for delivery over the next 2 years.

[Road_Warrior]

Interesting choice. Pity for Holden's Caprice PPV program though.

It's similar to the trend I've been seeing with the coppers in Perth - moving to dual cab utes so they can cart 4 cops with a box on the back for the baddies. Whilst the CHP clearly require a pursuit vehicle (and the Hilux aint no pursuit vehicle) and the Exploder PI doesnt have a prisoner module, the trend is there - cops want vehicles that can carry 4 officers and their gear.

[Chilliman]

Orders for the Ford Police vehicles have been running 60:40 in favour of the Interceptors (sedans). An order of this mangitude will probably shift that balance in towards the Utility (SUV).

[Riksta]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

cops want vehicles that can carry 4 officers and their gear.

I saw a documentary on a couple of cops once, one of them called "Mike" drove a Porsche 911 that managed to carry a bit of riot gear in the front, and they had three people in it at one stage.

Although the other officer didn't like it to much due to its apparent lack of cupholders.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Riksta

I saw a documentary on a couple of cops once, one of them called "Mike" drove a Porsche 911 that managed to carry a bit of riot gear in the front, and they had three people in it at one stage.

Although the other officer didn't like it to much due to its apparent lack of cupholders.

If that's the same documentary I saw, Mike would handcuff people to the steering wheel, fairly effective.

[Nikked]

Keep in mind that americans love their SUV's...and you don't take a sword to a gunfight...perfectly understandable that they want big cars...

[Moby Vic]

Funny, I know some supposed Ford fans who will be devastated by this choice.

[csv8]

Thats one tough looking SUV...Maybe Tezza should look like that???

[Brazen]

Talk about a racehorse designed by a commitee, I would think they would be much better off in a Taurus, better fuel economy and handling etc. but really the main thing is do they want all their gear such as shotguns and electronics sitting in the back of a SUV rather than locked away safely in the boot of a sedan?

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Talk about a racehorse designed by a commitee, I would think they would be much better off in a Taurus, better fuel economy and handling etc. but really the main thing is do they want all their gear such as shotguns and electronics sitting in the back of a SUV rather than locked away safely in the boot of a sedan?

Just speculating however with maybe some dedicated storage modules the rear cargo area of the Explorer could hold more and be more secure as you could possibly fit slide out shelving/racks etc which isn't possible in a sedan boot.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Talk about a racehorse designed by a commitee, I would think they would be much better off in a Taurus, better fuel economy and handling etc. but really the main thing is do they want all their gear such as shotguns and electronics sitting in the back of a SUV rather than locked away safely in the boot of a sedan?

Did you even read the article? It says that the CHP's Gross Vehicle Mass requirements couldnt be met by any of the sedans on offer and it came down to the Explorer and some Dodge.

[Chilliman]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Talk about a racehorse designed by a commitee, I would think they would be much better off in a Taurus, better fuel economy and handling etc. but really the main thing is do they want all their gear such as shotguns and electronics sitting in the back of a SUV rather than locked away safely in the boot of a sedan?

I'm pretty sure that in real world driving the fuel consumption difference between the sedan and the SUV is minimal.

It seems most of the smaller countys that order just one or two police vehicles at a time go for the SUV

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Did you even read the article? It says that the CHP's Gross Vehicle Mass requirements couldnt be met by any of the sedans on offer and it came down to the Explorer and some Dodge.

Yes I read it, hence my comment 'racehorse designed by a committee' seems to be odd requirments set by various agencies have meant a compromised bidding selection in the end. Obviously they know their requirments, just seems a bit ridiculous that a Highway Patrol vehicle tendering process came down to a bloody Tahoe and Explorer.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Yes I read it, hence my comment 'racehorse designed by a committee' seems to be odd requirments set by various agencies have meant a compromised bidding selection in the end. Obviously they know their requirments, just seems a bit ridiculous that a Highway Patrol vehicle tendering process came down to a bloody Tahoe and Explorer.

But hey, we're not in their shoes and they know their requirements better than the car makers. Maybe turn it around to say the car makers arent meeting the needs of agencies by continuing to churn out sedans?

As I alluded to earlier, it would appear cops these days want vehicles that can carry 4 and all their crap as well - not because its a fad or a trend agencies are going through, it appears (to me anyway) that the feel they need up to 4 coppers on the beat in vehicles to deal with the levels of violent crime, drug related and gang related issues that seems to be the norm these days...

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Yes I read it, hence my comment 'racehorse designed by a committee' seems to be odd requirments set by various agencies have meant a compromised bidding selection in the end. Obviously they know their requirments, just seems a bit ridiculous that a Highway Patrol vehicle tendering process came down to a bloody Tahoe and Explorer.

But hey, we're not in their shoes and they know their requirements better than the car makers. Maybe turn it around to say the car makers arent meeting the needs of agencies by continuing to churn out sedans?

As I alluded to earlier, it would appear cops these days want vehicles that can carry 4 and all their crap as well - not because its a fad or a trend agencies are going through, it appears (to me anyway) that the feel they need up to 4 coppers on the beat in vehicles to deal with the levels of violent crime, drug related and gang related issues that seems to be the norm these days...

Maybe Ford Australia could develop a PI version of the SZ Territory and mabe the Ranger to meet the demand in Australia and stop police forces moving to the Hilux...

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

But hey, we're not in their shoes and they know their requirements better than the car makers. Maybe turn it around to say the car makers arent meeting the needs of agencies by continuing to churn out sedans?

As I alluded to earlier, it would appear cops these days want vehicles that can carry 4 and all their crap as well - not because its a fad or a trend agencies are going through, it appears (to me anyway) that the feel they need up to 4 coppers on the beat in vehicles to deal with the levels of violent crime, drug related and gang related issues that seems to be the norm these days...

Maybe Ford Australia could develop a PI version of the SZ Territory and mabe the Ranger to meet the demand in Australia and stop police forces moving to the Hilux...

I guess what im getting at is that they have gotten a vehicle which caters to their requirment of having enough payload for 4 officers and all their gear, even though maybe only 1% of the time there are 4 officers in the car - so the other 99% of the time when there are only one or two officers in the car, they are driving a compromised vehicle. But I guess in the age of lawsuits and duty of care, the departments have to accomodate every aspect.

Agree on the Territory, I have seen some as police vehicles. I wonder if a police pack Territory currently exists? or if the police just use standard ones.

Imagine a slightly lower/firmer Terriotory with upgraded alternator, sump guard, calibrated speedo - and on the plus side you could use the suspension on a XR6 Territory.

[EL97]

Interesting choice...

How to replace ageing, slow under performer?
Buy a new, slow under performer.

Did they not realise that a sedan can carry 4 officers as well?

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by EL97

Interesting choice...

How to replace ageing, slow under performer?
Buy a new, slow under performer.

Did they not realise that a sedan can carry 4 officers as well?

The article states that with 4 officers and equipment they are looking at a total of upto 1700lbs (donuts excluded) which is approx 770kg. It seems the sedans now on offer didn't meet this spec requirement so it's really 2 suvs, and Ford won this one.

The CHP insists that its cruisers be able to safely carry all their equipment plus four fully equipped officers. In all, the CHP says that can add up to roughly 1700 pounds. That's a problem for the new crop of police sedans, because the beefiest of them, Ford's Police Interceptor Sedan, can only carry about 1200 pounds of people and gear. Simply put, the Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings of the sedans were too low to get the job done. What's a state trooper to do? Go big

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Agree on the Territory, I have seen some as police vehicles. I wonder if a police pack Territory currently exists? or if the police just use standard ones.

Imagine a slightly lower/firmer Terriotory with upgraded alternator, sump guard, calibrated speedo - and on the plus side you could use the suspension on a XR6 Territory.

I suspect they are just standard Territories they have just bought off the shelf. But Ford could do a 'police pack' Territory with all of the things you suggest as well as XR6 seats (trimmed in standard TX trim) and a push-bar. The TDCi AWD should give them enough poke for what they need to use it for, they're not going chasing stolen Lamborginis after all.

They could do a Police special Ranger dual cab as well, ship them without motors and front seats and FPV can do the work to fit the Duratec D35 V6 to it and sports seats (like Tickford used to do years ago - dabbling on the side with non-performance cars), lower it a bit and a plastic prisoner module on the back, would be quite a good performer.

[RASER]

BIG slap in the face for GM/H and its exported Aussie Caprice

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by Riksta

Although the other officer didn't like it to much due to its apparent lack of cupholders.

It was summed up nicely

Just a shiney d$%^ with two chairs in it

[Chilliman]

Originally Posted by RASER

BIG slap in the face for GM/H and its exported Aussie Caprice

Don't worry, the Aussie media will barely mention it if at all, while quoting obscure references about how much Americans are in love with the Commodore-based Chevy SS and how it will be a huge success over there in 2013.