Police vehicles in the United States and Canada

Police vehicles in the United States and Canada are produced by several manufacturers and are available in three broad vehicle types: Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV), Special Service Vehicles (SSV), and Special Service Package (SSP).

A Ford Police Interceptor Utility police car in service with the San Diego Harbor Police Department
A Chevrolet Suburban in service with the Toronto Police Service Emergency Task Force
A Communications Division Command Post vehicle in service with the New York City Police Department.
Law enforcement
in the United States
Separation of powers
Jurisdiction
Legal context
Prosecution
Lists of law enforcement agencies
Police operations/organization/issues
Types of agency
Variants of law enforcement officers
See also

Police Pursuit Vehicles are the most common police cars. They are equipped to handle the vast majority of tasks, including pursuit and high-speed response calls. Special Service Vehicles and Special Service Package are specialized vehicles, such as sport-utility vehicles and sports cars. They are generally heavier-duty and may come with specialized option packages for specific tasks, but are typically not recommended by the manufacturer for use as pursuit vehicles.

History

The first police car was a wagon run by electricity on the streets of Akron, Ohio in 1899.[1] Since the 1920s, the New York City Police Department has employed a fleet of Radio Motor Patrol vehicles to aid in its fight against crime within the city.

Ford's introduction of the flathead V-8 in its Model 18 in 1932––the first low-priced, mass-marketed car with a V8 engine––proved popular amongst police departments and led to strong brand loyalty. In turn, this gave the company a market-capturing edge that lasted until 1968. In the 1940s and 1950s, the "Big Three" (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) began to offer specialized police packages with severe duty parts. Foremost amongst these was the Ford package of 1950, which utilized the larger and more powerful Mercury engine in the smaller, lighter Ford. This ended the practice of some state police buying larger and more powerful, but higher-priced models including Buicks, Hudsons, and Chryslers. In 1969, Plymouth took first place in the police market, with Chrysler's 440 cu. in. V8s, Torqueflite transmissions, and torsion bar suspensions giving them a compelling advantage. Chrysler held this lead until the 1970s energy crisis drove buyers to smaller cars, and Chrysler subsequently discontinued their rear-drive platform after the 1989 model year.[2]

In the United States and Canada, police departments have historically used standard-size, low-price line sedans since the days of the Ford Model A, although many police departments switched to intermediates––such as the Plymouth Satellite, Ford Torino, and AMC Matador––in the 1960s and 1970s. Some state highway patrols (including those of California and Missouri) adopted pony cars, such as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and AMC Javelin for use as high-speed pursuit vehicles. The Ford LTD, Plymouth Gran Fury, and Chevrolet Caprice were re-adopted as standard when the models were downsized in the late 1970s.

Since the termination of the North American Chevrolet Caprice model in 1996 (though it would subsequently return in 2010 for exclusive law enforcement use), the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor replaced it as the standard patrol car, however, most Ford Crown Victorias have now been phased out. In an attempt to better combat the threat of rear-end impacts that highway patrol vehicles face when stopped on the shoulder, new models can be optionally equipped with a fire suppression system. Other models such as the Chevrolet Impala (8th and 9th generations), Chevrolet Tahoe and Dodge Charger also gained a percentage of the market. In September 2011, however, Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria in favor of the 6th-generation Taurus. This has helped Dodge reclaim leadership in the market with the Dodge Charger Pursuit, as of 2012.

Non-Crown Victoria police vehicles may be bought to diversify a police department's fleet in order to better minimize disruption should a recall occur.[3]

Despite some (primarily Canadian) jurisdictions electing to use front-wheel-drive sedans with smaller engines––mainly the Chevrolet Impala, the current iteration of which being a V6––the rear-wheel-drive V8 configuration is still widely preferred, due in part to its consistency with pursuit driver training, as well as generally greater reliability. Furthermore, trials with FWD vehicles such as the Taurus and Impala have proven problematic in terms of maintenance costs.[4][5][6] In 1994, for example, a Ford spokeswoman noted that "It is certainly true that any front-wheel-drive car would be more expensive and difficult to maintain if you subjected it to the kind of hard use they get in police departments."[7]

Current vehicles

Subject to federal, state, provincial and local laws, any vehicle, appropriately modified, can be used as a police vehicle, but the most common are those designed or modified by manufacturers as police or special service vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles have become increasingly popular in police fleets in Canada and the United States. Benefits often cited include extra room for equipment and better outward visibility due to the higher seating position compared with sedans.[8] The following model year 2019 and 2020 vehicles (in various drivetrain configurations) were submitted by manufacturers for the 2019 evaluation by the Michigan State Police and the U.S. National Institute of Justice:[9]

  • 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle)
  • 2019 Dodge Charger Pursuit
  • 2019 Dodge Durango Pursuit
  • 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility (based on the 2020 Ford Explorer)[10]
  • 2019 Ford F-150 Police Responder
  • 2019 Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan (based on the 2019 Ford Fusion)

The Ford Taurus-based Police Interceptor Sedan was discontinued at the end of the 2019 model year,[11] and was not included in the 2019 Michigan State Police and U.S. National Institute of Justice evaluation.

Appearance
An Milwaukee Police Department Ford Explorer supervisor vehicle
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police Toyota Prius school liaison car in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

North American police cars were once noted for being painted black and white, But not just limited to black and white vehicles, with the car doors and roof painted white, while the trunk, hood, front fenders and rear quarter panels were painted black. The fleet vehicles that were used typically came painted in a single color, most commonly white or black, from the factory and were used as such. The contrasting black or white color was added to make the vehicle stand out from civilian vehicles. In 2007, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) began converting its fleet back to a black-and-white scheme after decades of using other colors and varieties of paint jobs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends, but does not require, that local law enforcement agencies employ a uniform black and white vehicle color scheme for ease of visual identification nationwide.[12]

Beginning in the 1970s, police vehicle markings have become increasingly stylistic, with the widespread use of computer-graphics and vinyl striping. While black and white designs are still in use in many jurisdictions, cars may range from being all white to completely black. Blues and greens of various hues are also frequently used. Brown, beiges, and tans are favored by rural police and sheriff's offices.

Official markings also vary by jurisdiction. The side doors and sometimes the hood of a marked police car usually bear the agency's badge or the city seal, often in reflective finish. Markings such as emergency telephone numbers, generic anti-drug or anti-crime messages, or even website URLs are also common. Some agencies also have identification numbers printed on the roofs of patrol cars for tracking from aircraft, or to distinguish specialized units, such as K-9 units or supervisors.

Currently, in the United States and Canada, the paint scheme for each fleet is determined either by the individual agency or by uniform state legislation as in Minnesota.[13] Usually, state laws exist that establish standards for police vehicle markings, and proscribe civilian vehicles from using certain markings or paint schemes as is the case in California.[14]

Today, most fleet markings on patrol vehicles are created from reflective vinyl with an adhesive backing that is applied in a peel-and-stick manner. Colors chosen to represent the department's identity are typically chosen by the individual department, although, as noted above, some states have specific guidelines for color schemes and markings. Vinyl used to produce fleet markings comes in large rolls that are fed through a plotter (cutter) or large-format printer/cutter. The designs are created in specialized computer software and sent to the machines via cable link for production. Once the design is cut into the vinyl, the excess vinyl on the sheet is removed in a process called "weeding". Finally, a paper pre-mask is applied to the top of the vinyl design to allow easy application of multiple letters and shapes at one time.

Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Stealth Dodge Charger

Many enforcement agencies now use some "ghost cars" or "stealth cars" with smooth tops and minimal graphics for traffic enforcement.[15] These vehicles have markings that are visible only at certain angles, such as from the rear or sides, making these cars appear unmarked when viewed from the front.[16] These vehicles may meet the letter of the law as marked patrol vehicles, but are not as easily identifiable at a distance as a regular marked police vehicle. For public safety reasons, some jurisdictions do not allow officers in unmarked cars to pull over drivers.[17] The graphics on a ghost car, minimal though they may be, are deemed sufficient in some jurisdictions to identify the vehicle as a legitimate police vehicle. Depending on the jurisdiction, such vehicles may or may not be permitted to engage in pursuits.

Models by manufacturer

American Motors Corporation

Chrysler
Dodge Charger of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

Chrysler refers to its police models as the "Pursuit" or "SSV".

Ford Motor Company
Pittsburgh Police Ford Police Interceptor Utility

General Motors
2006–2009 Chevrolet Impala SPVM car
New York City Police Department Disorder Control Unit Hummer

Nissan

SAAB
  • SAAB 900 - Used by Vail, and Aspen Colorado Police Departments from 1978 - 2003[23]

Studebaker

Subaru

Toyota

Volvo

Other police vehicles

2010 Dodge Challenger R/T used by Deputies in Broward County, Florida
The Deputies' mobile "office" in the Challenger

Police departments also use alternative police vehicles.

  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and a lot of US police forces use marked or unmarked mini-vans and marked or unmarked Honda Civic sedans/coupes. They also use other imported vehicles such as Honda, Toyota, etc... These are meant to be more anonymous than other kinds of unmarked vehicles and models from FCA, GM, Ford, normally used by the civilian public.
  • Possible unmarked police vehicles in US police forces and federal agencies are but not limited to,
  • Ford: Focus, Fusion, 500, Taurus, Crown Victoria, Mustang, Escape, Explorer, Edge, Flex, Freestyle, Taurus X, Expedition, Excursion, Explorer Sport Trac, Ford F-150, Ford F-250/F-350, Windstar - Freestar, Transit, E Series
  • Mercury: Montego, Milan, Sable, Marauder, Grand Marquis, Mariner, Mountaineer
  • Chevrolet: Cavalier, HHR, Cobalt, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Caprice, Monte Carlo, Camaro, Equinox, Traverse, Blazer, Trailblazer, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, Colorado, Silverado, Venture, Uplander, Express
  • GMC: Terrain, Acadia, Envoy, Yukon, Sierra
  • Pontiac: Grand Am, Pontiac G6, Grand Prix, Bonneville, Pontiac G8, Torrent, Vibe
  • Buick: Century, LeSabre, Regal, Lucerne, Park Avenue, LaCrosse, Rendezvous, Enclave
  • Saturn: Ion, L Series, Aura, Vue, Outlook
  • Oldsmobile: Alero, Intrigue
  • Dodge: Neon, Caliber, Dart, Stratus, Avenger, Intrepid, Charger, Magnum, Challenger, Journey, Nitro, Durango, Caravan, Dakota, Ram Pickup
  • Jeep: Wrangler, Compass, Patriot, Liberty, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Commander
  • Chrysler: Sebring, 200, Concorde, LHS, 300M, 300, Pacifica, Aspen, Town, and Country
  • Foreign Car Brands:
  • Toyota: Corolla, Prius, Matrix, Camry, Camry Solara, Avalon, RAV-4, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra
  • Honda: Civic, Accord, CR-V, Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline
  • Nissan: Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Rogue, Murano, X-Terra, Pathfinder, Armada, Quest, Frontier, Titan
  • Mazda: Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5, CX-9
  • Subaru: Impreza, Legacy, Forester, Outback
  • Mitsubishi: Lancer, Galant, Outlander
  • Hyundai: Elantra, Sonata, Azera, Tucson, Santa Fe, Veloster
  • Kia: Forte, Optima, Cadenza, Sportage, Sorento, Sedona
  • VW: Jetta, Passat, Tiguan
  • In addition, the police can also use seized, impounded, or confiscated vehicles as unmarked vehicles for certain units (Speed Traps, Vice, Undercovers, Narcotics Unit, Special Investigations, etc.

Alabama
  • The Police Department in Tuscaloosa uses several marked Mercedes-Benz M Class SUVs. The M Class is manufactured in nearby Vance. The department, as well as the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, also uses many marked & unmarked Ford F-150s.
  • In 2011, the Madison, Alabama Police Department was gifted a 2010 Grand Sport by two local residents.[27]
  • In 1982, the Prichard Police Department placed four Volvo 200 series Turbo class vehicles into service as part of a lease deal with Volvo. Used for many years in European markets, Volvo hoped to establish a US market for police interceptors. Unfortunately, due to financial problems within the City of Prichard and high vehicle maintenance costs, the experiment lasted only one year.

Alberta

Arkansas

Arizona

British Columbia

California
A Berkeley Police Department Crown Vic

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida
A Palm Beach County Sheriff vehicle in Florida
  • The Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department uses only Ford Explorers as their primary pursuit/patrol vehicle.
  • The Gulf Breeze police department uses unmarked: 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and a green Jeep Cherokee for traffic. The department also uses Ford Crown Victorias, Ford 500, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger.
  • Florida Highway Patrol currently uses dodge chargers,ford explorers,chevy tahoes and pickuptrucks for patrol or other duties.
  • Sarasota County PD uses Chevy Tahoe 2019.

Georgia

Guam
  • The Guam Police Department uses Ford Crown Victorias and Dodge Chargers. The Guam Airport Police uses Nissan Xterras.

Hawaii
A "New Edge" Mach 1 Ford Mustang being used as a police car by the Honolulu Police Department.
  • The Honolulu Police Department and the Hawai‘i County Police Department supplements its fleet of marked patrol cars by allowing the use of the personally owned vehicles of police officers which are partially subsidized by department funds. These include not only American cars but Japanese cars such as the Toyota 4Runner and Camry, Honda Pilot, Nissan Altima, XTerra, and Murano. These cars are made distinguishable as on-duty police vehicles with the addition of a removable blue light bar.[36]
  • The Kauai Police Department assigns a couple of take-home vehicles to certain officers.
  • The Maui Police Department has unmarked Chevrolet Impala, (2000-2016) 2017-2020) Chevrolet Caprice, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Taurus, (2000-2007) Ford Mustang, and Ford Expedition.
  • Common subsidized vehicles used by the 2 departments are but not limited to:
  • Toyota: Camry, Avalon, Highlander, 4Runner, Sequoia.
  • Honda: Accord, Pilot.
  • Nissan: Altima, Maxima, Murano, X-Terra, Pathfinder, Armada.
  • Ford: Taurus, Mustang, Explorer, Expedition.
  • Chevrolet: Impala, Camaro, Monte Carlo (Formerly), Traverse, Tahoe, Suburban.
  • Dodge: Charger, Challenger, Durango.
  • GMC: Acadia, Yukon.
  • Chrysler: 300.
  • Jeep: Grand Cherokee, Cherokee.

Idaho
  • The Idaho State Police uses only Dodge Chargers for its primary patrol vehicle. Troopers who live in remote areas drive Chevrolet Tahoes. The Idaho State Police have been transitioning some of the Tahoes to all-wheel-drive Chargers.
  • The Boise Police Department uses mostly black Dodge Chargers with some Black Ford Explorers.
  • The Meridian, Idaho Police Department use Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer.

Illinois
  • The Johnsburg, Illinois Police Department uses Dodge Durango, Dodge Charger, and a Dodge Ram.
  • The Glenview, Illinois Police Department has at least two Honda Odyssey unmarked mini-vans driven by plainclothes officers.
  • The Crystal Lake, Illinois Police Department uses Ford Taurus and Explorer both marked and unmarked. Unmarked Chevrolet Impala has been spotted being driven. They have a gray unmarked sixth-generation Dodge Charger. There is a Ford Econoline Van for Evidence Response and Recovery. Also, a black Ford F-150 with grey decal is being used on the streets.
  • The Lake Forest police department uses three Chevrolet Suburban and two Chevrolet Tahoe marked police cars for the higher-rank officers of the department.
  • The Cook County Sheriff Gang Task Force has a late-model black unmarked F-150 pickup
  • The Illinois State Police has several unmarked vehicles ranging from Monte Carlos to Mustang GTs and Camaros (V6 and Z28) to combat speeding and aggressive driving. There was also an unmarked Trans Am WS-6 and unmarked Pontiac Grand Prix GTPs. Currently, ISP uses Caprice PPVs, Tahoe PPVs, Charger Pursuit, and Ford Interceptors (Taurus and Explorer)
  • The Chicago Police Department mainly fields Tahoe PPVs and Ford Interceptors (Taurus and Explorer).
  • Winthrop Harbor Police Department has some unmarked supercharged Crown Victorias
  • The Oak Lawn, Illinois Police Department uses a Dare H2 Hummer for patrol
  • The Elburn Police Department use 2 Ford Expeditions and 1 Ford F-150
  • Illinois Conservations Officers use mainly Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet pickup trucks
  • The Lakemoor Police Department has an unmarked Infiniti G35 Coupe
  • The Pontoon Beach Police Department (Madison County) has an assortment of vehicles consisting of Dodge Chargers, A Dodge Durango, Chevrolet Tahoe, and various unmarked vehicles following 2005 multimillion-dollar seizure of drug-related money.[37]
  • The Hawthorn Woods Police Department uses a police marked military Humvee for special emergencies and severe weather conditions.
  • The Barrington, Illinois Police Department has Dodge Chargers, Crown Vics, an unmarked red Dodge Caravan, and a high speed marked 2014 black Corvette.

Indiana
  • The Bloomington, Indiana Police Department currently uses (as of 2015) marked and unmarked Ford Crown Victoria, marked and unmarked Dodge Charger, and marked and unmarked Ford Interceptor, marked Ford Escape, and several Ford utility vans. They also currently use a Polaris all-terrain vehicle. In the past the department has used Segway, unmarked Ford Taurus for detectives, marked and unmarked Chevrolet Caprice, marked Harley-Davidson motorcycles, along with Dodge and Chrysler vehicles as well.
  • The Elkhart County, Indiana Sheriff's Office currently utilizes (as of 2019) marked and unmarked slick top Dodge Chargers as their primary patrol vehicles along with a few remaining Ford Crown Victoria. Primary patrol vehicles are in either an all-white or traditional Indiana Sheriff brown and tan color scheme.
  • The Ellettsville, Indiana Police Department currently uses marked and unmarked Dodge Charger, marked Ford Crown Victoria, marked Dodge Durango, marked and unmarked Ford Explorer. In the past, it has used Chevy Caprice, Jeep Cherokee, and Ford LTD.
  • The Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers currently use marked and unmarked Dodge Durango, marked and unmarked Ford Expedition, Ford F-250, and Dodge Ram. In the past, they used the Ford Crown Victoria and Dodge Ramcharger.
  • The Indiana State Police has utilized many marked and unmarked makes and models of vehicles over the years. Chevrolet and Ford have dominated the fleet overall since the 1930s, but Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles have also been used. Motorcycles have also been utilized. Indian was used in the early years. Harley-Davidsons' are used currently. Even an Auburn Cord was once used as a safety vehicle in the 1930s. The Chevrolet Caprice was primarily utilized in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the Ford Crown Victoria Police interceptor dominated the fleet since then until 2012 when Indiana State Police started using Dodge Charger. ISP has used unmarked cars and trucks as well. The Mustang GT was the first to be used for speed enforcement in the late 1980s. They used several LS-1 powered Camaro z28 in the 1990s and now have gone back to the Mustang GT. As of 2015 Indiana State Police uses marked and unmarked Dodge Charger, marked and unmarked Ford Crown Victoria, marked and unmarked Chevrolet Tahoe, unmarked Ford Mustang GT, and marked Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
  • The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has utilized many makes and models of vehicles over the years as well. It currently uses marked and unmarked Dodge Charger, marked and unmarked Ford Crown Victoria, marked and unmarked Chevrolet Impala, and marked Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
  • The Indiana University Police Department currently uses marked and unmarked Dodge Charger. In the very recent past, they used marked Ford Crown Victoria.
  • The Monroe County, Indiana Sheriff Department currently uses marked and unmarked Dodge Charger, marked Ford Crown Victoria, marked and unmarked Ford Fusion, Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Blazer. In the past, they have used Chevy Caprice, Jeep Cherokee, and Ford LTD.
  • The Stinesville, Indiana Police Department currently uses marked Ford Crown Victoria, marked Ford Expedition and marked Jeep Cherokee. In the past, they have used Chevrolet Caprice.
  • The Lafayette, Indiana Police Department has used Subaru Outbacks donated from the nearby plant in which they are made on several occasions, however, they primarily used Ford and Dodge Police package vehicles.
  • The Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office (Lafayette In) has used various vehicles for police service. Most of the 1990s Sheriff Dave Heath and Sheriff Dave Murtaugh purchased Chevrolet 9C1 (Caprice Police Package), as well as Ford Interceptors (police version of the Crown Victoria). In 2006 Sheriff Tracy Brown purchased the department's first Dodge Charger and issued the black unmarked vehicle to a Captain. from 2006-2009 Sheriff Brown continued to use Ford CVPI as the primary police vehicle for the agency. In 2009 Sheriff Brown began to purchase Dodge Chargers, and for the next six years, the Charger was the primary police vehicle. In 2015, a one-term elected sheriff began to purchase various vehicles that were not pursuit-rated, with the exception of four all-wheel-drive Chargers that had just entered the police market in 2014. Dodge Rams, as well as non-police packaged Durangos, were used from 2015-2020

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana
  • The Louisiana State Police has several previous-generation Chevrolet Camaros as pursuit vehicles. It also has many PPV-rated Chevrolet Tahoes
  • The Gramercy, Louisiana Police department has 1 (unmarked) 00'-06'GMC Yukon, an (unmarked) 04'-09' Ford F-150, and has a (marked) Mercury Grand Marquis.
  • The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office has at least 1 Dodge Avenger as a marked patrol car. It also has multiple Chevrolet Malibus and Impalas as staff cars.

Maine
  • The Maine State Police use several undercover Roush Performance Ford Mustangs on the Maine Turnpike.

Massachusetts

Michigan
  • Michigan State Police Troopers use black Dodge Chargers fitted with chrome street rims along with a gunmetal Dodge Magnum (with police interceptor rims) for I-275 Highway Patrol. Both are completely unmarked.
  • The Bloomfield Hills police department has several Chevrolet Corvettes.[43][44][45]
  • Clayton Township in Genesee County has a Saturn Vue donated by Saturn of Flint.
  • Dearborn, the home of Ford Motor Company, employs several different Ford vehicles, including Ford Ranger pickups for parking enforcement, and a Ford Mustang for public relations visits to local schools. In the 1970s, Ford provided the Dearborn Police Department with a number of Lincoln Town Cars equipped with early airbag systems in order to accumulate engineering data in "real world" conditions.
  • The Hazel Park Police Department has a 2009 Jaguar XF (dark Jaguar blue), a 2008 Jaguar XF (silver) and a 2007 Jaguar XK Coupe (dark Jaguar blue). All were donated by Jaguar of Lakeside, Novi, and Troy to commemorate fallen officers. The cars are fully marked and outfitted with police packages.
  • Southgate's Police Department fleet consists primarily of older[1992-1997] to newer[1998-2011] models of the Ford Crown Victoria, both marked and unmarked. Despite this fact, however, the SPD also uses a newer marked Ford Explorer (for traffic patrol and responding purposes) and an unmarked (all black) Dodge Charger. More recently, marked and unmarked versions of the sixth generation[2010–present] Ford Taurus have also made their way into the SPD's police interceptor lineup as well.
  • The Trenton Police Department has three Hemi Dodge Chargers (two all black, one black with white doors), one V6 Charger (all black), and two 2010 Chevrolet Tahoes (one black with white doors and another all black). Trenton receives vehicles to test because of manufacturing plants located in the city.
  • Michigan Conservation Officers use Chevrolet Silverado and Tahoes

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri
  • Numerous unmarked vehicles have been seen in the St. Louis area ranging from unmarked and marked Dodge Chargers to an unmarked Nissan Altima specifically for pursuing aggressive drivers.
  • Gerald, Missouri police have one Humvee for getting into the extremely remote areas of Gerald, MO.
  • Lake Saint Louis, MO has 1 or 2 Ford Five Hundred Unmarked detective units.
  • St. Louis County, Missouri North Coop placed an order for 10 2020 Nissan Altimas, one being delivered 7/1/2020.

Newfoundland And Labrador

New Hampshire

New Jersey

The New Jersey state police uses marked and unmarked ford explorers as well as Crown Victorias, and police editions of Chevrolet Impalas and chevy tahoes

  • The police department of Clifton uses 2006–2007 Jeep Grand Cherokees for the traffic division. They used 01-11 Crown Victorias from 01-11 for all divisions, then used 2013 Ford Explorers alongside their Ford Tauruses from 2013 to present day. In 2016 they redid their fleet with the 2016 Ford Explorer which they use to the present day. In 2018 they changed from their classic Black, White, and Gold cars to a more modern white vehicle with a black stripe with a thin blue line down the center of it with yellow and white text. In the coming years, the Clifton PD plans on buying the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Dodge Charger due to the increased price and unreliability of the 2020 Ford Explorers. These new SUVs do not meet their standards anymore. They will be testing the two new models with their supervisors and if they meet their standards, they will be purchasing them for patrol and other divisions in their department.
  • The Edison Township Police Department had a marked 1995 BMW M3 that was seized from a drug dealer. This vehicle was used for D.A.R.E and other awareness and education programs, but was retired from service around 2014.
  • The Newark Police Department has a small fleet of Crown Victorias modified to look like a standard yellow city cab with rate stickers on doors and advertisement plaque on the roof used for under-cover tasks; and "unmarked" everyday patrolling.
  • The Paramus Police Department uses a Ford F550 as an emergency service unit and a Chrysler PT Cruiser D.A.R.E. vehicle.
  • The Passaic County Sheriff's Department uses Ford Mustangs.
  • The Secaucus Police Department now uses Dodge Chargers for patrolling.
  • The Scotch Plains Police Department maintains a fleet of vehicles that is split almost evenly between Dodge Chargers and Ford Crown Victorias.
  • The Bayonne Police Department uses 30 2011 Chevrolet Impalas, 10 2012 Ford Taurus Police Interceptors, and 3 2004 Dodge Durangos as regular patrol vehicles, a semi-marked 2010 HEMI Dodge Charger and a Chevrolet Suburban as traffic enforcement vehicles, 2 2012 Ford Explorers as Supervisor vehicles, 1 2012 Ford Explorer as a Commander vehicle, a 2007 Ford Explorer and 2 2005 Ford E-350 Club Wagons as C.O.P. (Community Oriented Policing)/D.A.R.E. vehicles, a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 2004 Dodge Durango as K-9 transport vehicles.
  • The Bernards Township Police Department uses 5 Dodge Charger 2006,2011,and 2012 (*2012 is unmarked). Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor 2003-2011 model unmarked and marked. 3 Ford Explorer 2005,1999 and 2011 (2005 and 1999 are unmarked), 2007 Chevrolet Suburban (unmarked), 3 2004 and 2000 Dodge Durango unmarked and marked, and 2 2011 Chevrolet Caprice[Holden Caprice] unmarked and marked as regular patrol unit. For traffic control, the department uses a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 marked and is usually with another unit.
  • The Neptune City police use the Chevrolet Impalas and Ford Explorers and Taurus. They also have 2 Humvees.

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

North Dakota Highway Patrol has a fleet of ford explorer and taurus, and dodge chargers

Nova Scotia

Ohio
  • The Bedford Police use a mix of Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Tahoes for patrols.
  • The Garfield Heights Police use a mixture of Ford Crown Victorias, two Ford Explorers, and five Dodge Chargers. Four will be black and white and one is an unmarked car. As of October 2009, Garfield has three black white Dodge Chargers.
  • The Mariemont Police Department uses Dodge Chargers for patrol and traffic, Ford SUV and 1 Ford Focus (unmarked)
  • The Parma Police use a mix of Chevrolet Caprices, Chevrolet Impalas and Chevrolet Tahoes for patrols. Parma is home to the GM Parma Stamping Plant so GM gave Parma a discount on the cars.
  • The Union County Sheriff's office uses Dodge Chargers, Ford Crown Victorias, and Ford Expeditions (for use with their Public Safety Officer program, in which the officer is also a Firefighter/EMT)
  • The Cleveland Police Department uses Ford Taurus Black-and-White units as well as Ford Crown Victoria Black-and-White units.
  • The Independence, Ohio Police use a variety of different vehicles, including the Dodge Charger.
  • The Ohio State Highway Patrol uses Dodge Chargers. They use a combination of blue lightbars and front-facing red grille lights. All Motor Carrier Enforcement vehicles use the old OSHP livery, albeit with blue trim and lettering instead of the gold livery, and only use red lights.
  • The Lancaster, Ohio Police Department uses 2012-2014 black/white and 2015 white Chargers, along with black/white and white Crown Victorias. One 2015 Charger has a miniature lightbar, and the other fleet-cars have full-sized lightbars. One fleet-car is usually stationed on the retail campus on Ety Road near Highway 33, in order to take shoplifting calls.

Ontario
Toronto Police Crown Vics at a high-risk incident
  • Ontario Provincial Police Currently the Ontario Provincial Police use Dodge Charger Enforcer's in V8 all-wheel-drive configuration, along with Ford Police Interceptor Utility models, Ford Police Interceptor Sedan models, Chevrolet Tahoe Police Package vehicles both in 2 and 4 wheel drive configurations. All of the front line police models come in marked, and unmarked or stealth configuration. In more remote areas, Chevy Silverado 2500 Pickups, and Dodge Ram 2500 PowerWagon models have been utilized as well.
  • Metro Toronto Police has ford explorers and ford taurus for patrol
  • The Windsor Police use various unmarked vehicles such as two Dodge Durango’s, two Dodge Ram 1500’s, a Dodge Charger AWD, and a Ford F-150 4X4

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Prince Edward Island

Puerto Rico

Quebec
A Montreal Police pickup

Saskatchewan
  • In Regina, high school resource officers use either the Toyota Echo or its replacement, the Yaris, for transportation.

South Carolina
  • The South Carolina Highway Patrol used three BMW M5s during the early to mid-1990s. These cars were given to South Carolina after BMW chose the state to host its first assembly plant in the U.S. in 1992. They also had a Volvo as an experimental vehicle.
  • At one point the Sumter Police Department had a Dodge Durango, 2 Ford Mustangs[2005-2009]in marked form and unmarked form in the color of green, there was a 2002-2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer used by the sheriff's department and a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox used as a crime investigation unit.
  • Richland County Sheriff uses the Tahoe PPV as the primary patrol vehicle. They also have some Caprice PPVs and have marked Camaro SS patrol vehicles.

Tennessee

Texas
  • Many sheriff's offices and police departments in West Texas utilize 4x4 pickups; Armstrong County 3 Ford F-150 Ext Cabs, Wheeler County 3 Crew Cab and 5 Extended Cab Chevrolet Silverados. Shamrock PD has 2 Chevrolet Avalanches and one 4-door Silverado.
  • The Houston Police Department used pickup trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F150, and Dodge Ram for their "Truck Enforcement" division, which is a unit to investigate commercial truck drivers for suspicion. Former Houston Texans player Mario Williams has donated 5 white with white ghost print Chevrolet Camaro SS units and 5 black on black ghost print Hemi Dodge Chargers for the traffic enforcement duty. New Chevrolet Caprice, Tahoe, and Ford Police Interceptors (Taurus and Explorer) have joined the city fleet. The entire police fleet is undergoing a change in color from the blue and whites to black and white units. HPD has 100 squads (some of them are 2011 Crown Vics pre-ordered prior to the end of production) painted in a black and white livery although a Chevrolet Tahoe 9C1 was painted in this livery as of late 2011.
  • During the mid-1980s, the Missouri City Police Department used a few Volvo 240s.
  • The San Antonio Police Department uses a few Chevrolet Camaros.
  • A Chevrolet Camaro (fifth generation) is part of the Kemah, Texas Police Department.
  • Trinity University in San Antonio uses a fleet of several eleventh-generation Ford F-150s to patrol the campus.
  • Tomball, TX Police Department (as of 2015) has a fleet of Ford Escapes used as squads.
  • In some places, Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs are also commonly found.
  • Dallas Police use primarily Dodge Charger V-6's and Chevrolet Tahoes. Some Chevrolet Impalas remain.
  • Dallas Area Rapid Transit uses Dodge Charger Hemi's and Chevrolet Caprice V-8's and V-6's
  • The Texas Highway Patrol has many unique vehicles including a modified Dodge Challenger SRT, Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 pickup trucks, Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Interceptor Utility SUVs along with Dodge Charger patrol cars.

Utah
  • The Utah Highway Patrol has used two unmarked Subaru Impreza WRX STis to combat street racing in the Salt Lake City area. The primary vehicle as of 2019 is the Dodge Charger, which is supplemented by the Ford Explorer, Taurus, and F-150 Pickup, along with the Dodge Durango and Dodge/RAM 150 Pickup, and several Chevrolet Tahoes.

Virginia
  • The Virginia State Police traditionally uses Ford Crown Victoria and Chevrolet Impala sedans. In recent years, the force introduced Chevrolet Camaro sports cars, Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs, and Dodge Charger sedans. The Virginia State Police makes limited use of the Chevrolet Caprice PPV sedan for unmarked traffic control and pursuit purposes.
  • For many years, the Town of Smithfield used Ford Mustang SSV as daily police vehicles. The last of these were retired in the late 1990s.
  • In 2011, the Fairfax County Police Department started using a black Nissan R35 GT-R as an undercover pursuit vehicle.
  • The Richmond City Police Department provides Dodge Charger sedans and Ford Mustang GT coupes in addition to their standard fleet of marked Ford Taurus and Ford Crown Victoria sedans and Ford Explorers. Richmond Police use Chevrolet Impala sedans for unmarked and detective purposes. Richmond Police are slowly phasing out their fleet of Ford Crown Victorias following the discontinuation of this model by Ford.
  • The Chesapeake Police Department assigns unmarked Hyundai Sonatas, Chevy Impalas, and Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Sedans and Utility vehicles to Detectives, command officers and officers in specialized units. Command officers, including the Superintendent of Animal Services, also utilize unmarked Ford Fusions along with other unmarked vehicles. Detectives assigned to the Intelligence Section utilize non-traditional unmarked vehicles such as Nissan Altimas and others. Detectives assigned to the Vice and Narcotics Section drive "soft cars" with no radio or emergency lighting equipped, due to the clandestine and covert nature of their assignment. Officers assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Unit drive unmarked Ford Mustangs, Dodge Chargers, a Dodge Challenger, as well as an unmarked Ford F-150 Super Duty. Fire Marshals from the Chesapeake Fire Department drive unmarked Ford F-150's.

Washington

Wisconsin
  • The Grand Rapids police force uses a black 2008 Dodge Charger Daytona. On the side of the car, instead of it saying "Daytona", it says "Police", and under that, it says "Grand Rapids".
  • Manitowoc has an unmarked Ford Taurus they use for patrol.
  • The sheriff's department in Outagamie County tested an unmarked 2005 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle for non-patrol use in 2005.[48]

D.A.R.E.

A number of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) programs in local police departments have some notable vehicles marked as police cars to promote the program. The D.A.R.E. cars appear at schools and in parades. Typically these cars are high-end or performance cars that have been seized in a drug raid. They are used to send the message that drug dealers forfeit all their glamorous trappings when they get caught. Cars include the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang, and Humvee.

Future

Ford ceased production of the ubiquitous Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in 2011. The model was replaced by both the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan and the Ford Police Interceptor Utility.[49] On March 12, 2010, a prototype Ford Police Interceptor Sedan based on the sixth-generation Taurus's platform was demonstrated at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Ford assured law enforcement agencies that it would be in production when the last Crown Victorias were built in September 2011.[50] The car was also displayed to fleet managers from Canada and the United States at the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) exposition in Detroit in April.[51] Months after the Sedan was unveiled, a prototype Ford Police Interceptor Utility based on the fifth generation Ford Explorer was unveiled at Ford's Chicago plant in front of its workforce by the then VP of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service Ken Czubay. The production of the Police Interceptor Sedan began in 2012 as a 2013 model along with the Utility counterpart.

The Dodge Charger Pursuit was first introduced as an LX body in 2006. In 2011, as an LD body, numerous changes were made to resolve a number of teething issues in previous cars. The 3.6 V-6 engine provides performance equal to or better than the P7B Crown Victoria, with a much better fuel economy. The 5.7 Hemi cars set record after record during yearly testing with the Michigan State Police. In late 2014, Dodge surpassed many of their own records with the new All-Wheel-Drive Pursuit. The AWD version became the only large Chrysler passenger sedan with AWD and the V8. By mid-2016, over 40% of all new Charger Pursuits were AWD.

Prior to the release of the AWD Dodge, Ford held 60% of the police market. In 2015, and especially 2016 (after a price reduction), Dodge gained some ground on Ford, largely at the expense of the Taurus.

The Mobile precinct station in both the models of a 26' trailer and AM General 6X6 military surplus vehicle have been inventoried in specific police departments within the United States.[52][53]

See also

References
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