LAS CRUCES Resembling something out of a Batman movie, the sleek, unmarked, all-black New Mexico State Police Dodge Charger appears, seemingly out of nowhere, to catch unsuspecting drivers by surprise.
"I don't want to use the world stealth, but for those drivers who don't think there's a police officer around, there just might be. You just don't recognize them," said New Mexico State Police Capt. Rich Libicer.
The Las Cruces Police Department also has two unmarked Chevy Camaros that are used primarily for traffic enforcement, as well as several marked Dodge Charger cruisers. The Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, recently added 27 Ford Crown Victoria cruisers.
The iconic "Crown Vic" also still makes up the bulk of the LCPD and New Mexico State Police fleets, but Ford stopped producing those vehicles last September, leading police departments across the country to consider alternative models, such as the Charger and Chevrolet Caprice.
Libicer said the New Mexico State Police plans to replace its Crown Vics with Ford's new police Interceptor, based on the Taurus.
New Mexico State Police District 4, based in Las Cruces, has two black unmarked Dodge Chargers, which have a top speed around 150 miles per hour.
"They're high-performance vehicles. There's no doubt. I'm assuming they are a lot faster than what we need them to go," said Libicer, who added that the Chargers have the horsepower, response and handling capabilities that make them suitable for traffic enforcement.
The unmarked Chargers, which cost around $29,000 a piece, are used for patrols, regular calls for service, and are often stationed at high-risk highway locations prone to speeding and accidents. Libicer said he believes the cruisers have already had an impact.
"They're very effective tools because people don't notice them," Libicer said.
"We like this kind of unit because it's there to deter the aggressive driving that causes the accidents and problems on the roads. People have not gotten used to seeing them, but they know that we have them out there working in traffic enforcement," Libicer said.
The officers also have to acclimate themselves to handling the high-powered cruisers.
"It has a heavy engine. It puts out a lot of horse power, which calls for a lot of restraint on the part of the officer as well," said Libicer, who also said the state police is looking to acquire more Chargers as it increases in manpower.
For the past two years, Las Cruces Police Officer Maurice Hernandez, an 11-year department veteran, has driven a Charger, which she said performs well and is "pretty sharp-looking."
"It handles real smooth. It's pretty nice," Hernandez said.
Doña Ana County Sheriff's Deputy Isidro Gonzalez, a 16-year member of the department, still drives a Crown Vic, though he would prefer an SUV.
"A car is a car," Gonzalez said. "It's your office. You set it up and try to get comfortable in it for the next 10 or 12 hours."
Space was one reason why police officers liked the Crown Vic, which was durable and easy to maneuver in urban settings thanks to its rear-wheel drive, V-8 power and body-on-frame construction.
"I'll miss the Crown Vic. They were workhorses, reliable, well-built, could take a lot of abuse and they were well suited to what we do in police work," said Libicer, who believes officers will adjust to the emerging new police vehicles.
"There is always a transition period," he said.
Gonzalez, who enjoyed driving a Chevrolet Cavalier cruiser in the 1990s, said he was not fazed.
"Times are always changing with new cars coming in," Gonzalez said.
Brian Fraga can be reached at (575) 541-5462; Follow him on Twitter @bfraga
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