Seattle Begins Testing New Cruisers to Take Place of Crown Vics
March 22--SEATTLE -- They are an iconic and instantly recognizable image of a Seattle institution and they may soon be a thing of the past.
Although police officers around the country hold certain affection for Ford's Crown Victoria, it isn't exactly the picture of cutting-edge police technology.
In Seattle it is easy to spot the light blue sedans with the huge siren but as Ford retires the classic Crown Victoria model, new police cars will start popping up around town.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is testing a total of six new vehicle models as possible replacements to its aging fleet.
What's even more dramatic is they could drop the light blue and begin using a more industry standard black-and-white color scheme.
The vehicles being tested are the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, Chevrolet Caprice, Chevy Impala, Ford Interceptor sedan, Ford Interceptor SUV and Dodge Charger.
About 160 officers will begin testing the different cars in the coming months.
"Generally these decisions would have been made up in the ivory tower," SPD Chief John Diaz joked. "That's not the way we want to do this."
The new vehicles will look very different from what you expect from an SPD cruiser, so be aware.
They also may include enhanced features like LED lights and backup sensors.
The SPD is also looking for a safer vehicle that is good in all conditions and capable of hauling a heavier load.
The West Precinct will be the first to start testing the new cars followed by the North, South, East and Southwest precincts.
Current Crown Victoria fleet:
Copyright 2012 - KCPQ/KMYQ-TV, Seattle
