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Wednesday, Jun. 03, 2009

Bibb deputies test new cars

The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is testing out new Ford Fusions to see if the vehicle is a cheaper alternative to its fleet of Ford Crown Victorias.

Chief Deputy David Davis said in recent years the county commissioners have asked the sheriff’s office to consider using smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.

As a result, patrol deputies are putting two Ford Fusions on the road this week to gauge their ability to survive under harsh conditions such as driving through medians.

Davis also is driving an unmarked Fusion to gauge how the cars could be used in other divisions within the sheriff’s office.

“It’ll give us a clearer picture of how they will operate,” he said.

Law enforcement agencies statewide looking for cars that are more economical, faster or different have explored other options beyond the “main line Crown Vic,” said Terry Norris, executive vice president of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association.

But by and large, agencies are coming back to the Crown Victorias, said Bobby Reed, fleet manager for Brannen Motor Company in Unadilla, one of the largest suppliers of police vehicles in the Southeast.

“The Crown Vic is the most durable of all the police vehicles on the road today,” Reed said.

Davis said the purchase price of the front-wheel drive Fusions has already shown the sheriff’s office a cost savings as compared with rear-wheel drive Crown Victorias. The V6 Fusions cost $19,324, about $2,700 less than a V8 Crown Victoria, he said.

So far, the Fusions are getting 21 miles per gallon in the city and 25 on the highway. Davis said a typical Crown Victoria gets an average 17 miles per gallon.

“You’re realizing some fuel savings right off the bat,” he said. “We want to see if that savings carries over the life of the vehicle.”

The smaller Fusions are presenting a few challenges for deputies as they try to find places to mount equipment inside the cars, he said.

For example, the space needed for in-car laptops may cause deputies to remove the front passenger seat.

The olD standby

When buying a vehicle, law enforcement agencies are looking for economical cars that can stand up to high mileage, keep up in a high-speed pursuit and carry equipment, Norris said.

Manufactured since 1951, police officers and deputies have been driving Crown Victorias, Reed said.

In Bibb County, Davis said the Crown Victoria has served deputies well.

“The Crown Victoria has been the car of choice because of durability, cost of operation and the car hasn’t changed much over time,” Davis said.

Because the car hasn’t changed, it’s easier to get parts, he said.

But in tight economic times, there are some agencies with patrol cars on the road with more than 200,000 miles, Norris said.

Looking to save money and better serve their needs, agencies have experimented with other cars such as the police model Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Charger and the Chevrolet Tahoe sports utility vehicle.

Reed said in his experience — selling police vehicles in 15 states — the Crown Victoria has outlasted other types of police vehicles on the road two to one.

Departments trying out the front-wheel drive V6 Chevrolet Impala have found that the cars can’t hold up to the abuse of day to day patrolling the same as the Crown Victorias.

For some rural sheriff’s offices, the cars don’t last more than 75,000 miles due to driving on rural roads, Reed said.

“They’re just worn out completely,” he said.

As a result, Reed said very few agencies are buying Impalas.

He said departments buying Dodge Chargers typically are drawn by the car’s speed even though Chargers cost between $1,500 and $2,000 more than a Crown Victoria. A Charger can achieve speeds of 145 mph as compared with the Crown Victoria’s 135 mph.

But when the cars cross medians, some Chargers have had back windows to pop out and the body to crack, Reed said. Norris said some departments also have found the Chargers’ breaking systems to be inadequate.

“We’ve had people who have bought Chargers and are now coming back and buying Crown Vics,” Reed said.

Davis said the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office purchased three Dodge Chargers in 2007 through a state grant.

After driving them, deputies have found the Chargers to be more costly to maintain than the Crown Victorias and it’s harder to get parts, he said.

For example, it costs $580 to replace the front brake pads and rotors on a Charger while it costs $350 for a Crown Victoria, Davis said.

Norris said some departments have tried the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Explorers and Ford Expeditions, SUV’s which appear to hold up for more miles than some other vehicles although they don’t get the same fuel economy.

In driving a Tahoe himself, Norris said the vehicle is stable when crossing interstate medians and has good maneuverability.

Norris said he hasn’t heard of anyone using Ford Fusions as patrol vehicles.

Reed said he expects the Fusions used on patrol will likely hold up about like the Impalas, but will do fine in other capacities such as investigators’ cars.

Giving it a try

Davis said the Bibb County Sheriff’s office already has plans to buy six more Fusions and one Crown Victoria if commissioners approve a sheriff’s office’s request.

Three of the cars will be paid for out of confiscated funds and will be assigned to criminal investigators, he said.

The cars may be ordered in the fall if the purchases are approved, Davis said.

If the Fusions are comparable in performance, durability and cost to Crown Victorias, he said it’s likely the sheriff’s office will buy more.

“We’re going to see how it goes,” he said.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398.