The Evolution Of The Police Car

[slapout9]

Link to how the Patrol Vehicle has evovled. Nice picture of the new Stealth Patrol Vehicles.


http://editorial.autos.msn.com/the-evolution-of-the-police-car#1?ocid=xnetr1-1

[davidbfpo]

I am sure the UK did not follow the USA route, but there is a specialist (hobby) site here:http://policecaruk.com/50YearsMotorwayPolicing/50YearsMotorwayPolicing.html

Some quality cars, like the Jaguar, although not many liked it for police work.

[Stan]

The Triumph Thunderbird or BSA will fetch you a cool 50 grand today - even if it doesn't run.

Why in God's name do they call those things jam sandwiches I thought. Where did that paint scheme originate David ?

[Fuchs]

In Germany we had an era of VW Käfer (http://www.wolfsburg-citytour.de/Museen/Archiv_Automuseum_Wolfsburg/Polizeikafer/polizeikafer.html) (Beetle) and several generations of VW Bulli (small bus) police cars, but since at the latest the 80's police cars became very diverse, usually middle class cars (most often BMW, Audi) with more modern Transporter (similar to Bulli in concept, but bigger) -type vehicles as well.

We've never had much emphasis on pursuit (no stronger engines afaik, for example).


The division is between patrol cars for most tasks and transporters for transport of much personnel (for example to a football match) or as the base for a speed measuring station etc. The extra equipment for police cars besides the colour film on the surfaces is as far as I know only loudspeaker, siren, extra lights, separation of cabin, lock of rear doors and an obsolete radio (still no digital radio in most states).
We've also got covert police cars; afaik typically 2-4 in a city of 50,000 residents. They're over-represented in German police-themed TV productions.

Police motorcycles almost disappeared, but light ones were very much in use during the 50's and 60's.

[davidbfpo]

Why in God's name do they call those things jam sandwiches I thought. Where did that paint scheme originate David ?

Stan,

The fluorescent red stripe - being the "jam" - as the cars were invariably painted white. So simple.

I've no idea what name the current nationally agreed blue & yellow square patchwork and partly fluorescent colour scheme has.

[AdamG]

Fun Fact : As Director of Public Safety for Philadelphia, in 1924 USMC General Smedley Butler was one of the first to authorize the purchase of fast autos for pursuit of bank robbers. He also had them fitted with radios.

[Kiwigrunt]

Dutch police also used the Beetle (http://www.keversite.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=26251) for years, as well as the Porsche for traffic duties.

[Dayuhan]

Evolution requires a certain amount of natural selection, meaning some must fall by the wayside...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/dayuhan/blues-brothers-21_288x216.jpg

[Fuchs]

Evolution requires a certain amount of natural selection, meaning some must fall by the wayside...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/dayuhan/blues-brothers-21_288x216.jpg

Nonsense, there's no evolution. All intelligent design. Someone knew from the beginning what he wanted as police car!

[Dayuhan]

Well, that photograph did involve a mission from God, and a Penguin, so design may have had something to do with it. Intelligent is another question...

[selil]

Link to how the Patrol Vehicle has evovled. Nice picture of the new Stealth Patrol Vehicles.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/the-evolution-of-the-police-car#1?ocid=xnetr1-1

I had one of the last Nova interceptors (aka Malibu) with a fuel injected 454 and black on black paint job with one of the first low profile light bars. We hot swapped cars and the swing crew blew the transmission into a million bits and I ended up in a Police Interceptor Crown Victoria with bubble globes. Like going from Nascar to a Golf Cart.

I also had a Bronco II which for what we did in the brush was darn near perfect. Tan and green for sneaking through the woods. Oh those were the days. Sometimes I miss law enforcement then I look at my paycheck and snap back to reality.

[carl]

Please tell me there are other people who were white with fright when driving a Crown Victoria at maximum speed.

[Stan]

Please tell me there are other people who were white with fright when driving a Crown Victoria at maximum speed.

Carl,
Not just the Crown Victoria. Those beasts similar to our DAO light armored 84 Caprice Classic with a raging 454 are about as stable and aerodynamic as a cinder block. It would take years before the USA big three realized just how important the tire aspect ratios and sport suspension meant. Tremendous grunt (torque) but you gotta keep it on the pavement :D

We also blew our TH350 and then the rear differential :wry:

The Estonian unmarked traffic car is a Subaru Impreza WRX and the SWAT with Audi S8. :cool:

[Sergeant T]

Please tell me there are other people who were white with fright when driving a Crown Victoria at maximum speed.

The got a little better as the line evolved. Some of the '90's models put the fear of the Almighty in me. Still take them over a Caprice Classic any day of the week.

Overall I'd say wheel time accounts for the majority of my grey/missing hair.

[slapout9]

If they ever issues these I will come out of retirement:) Miami Vice-In The Air Tonight with Crockett's Ferrari


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh0oSrjLlwY&feature=related

[Kiwigrunt]

The latest flavour from Oz (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10822619)

[AdamG]

The latest flavour from Oz (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10822619)

Might be impressed. Let's hear the blower.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5678/mechanic1.jpg