Anchorage police are rolling out a fleet of new patrol sedans and SUVs with safer, modern features, including all-wheel-drive. Despite the city's long winter and slick roads, that amenity marks a first for the city's police department, according to police spokesperson Jennifer Castro.
Commuters can currently spot decked-out Ford Interceptors -- a single vehicle model comprising both sedans and "utilities" -- patrolling the streets of Alaska's largest city. A total of 66 Interceptors, as well as two Ford Expeditions for K-9 units, were purchased with capital funds last year. There are a total of 474 vehicles at APD, including patrol, detective and specialized vehicles.
About a third of that purchase is ready for use. It will take a year to modify all the vehicles to meet police department standards, said Sgt. Josh Nolder, lead trainer of EVOC, the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course. The upgrades include additional transmission coolers and heavy front bumper guards.
The Interceptors vary in price. Most vehicles purchased by the police department's Fleet Maintenance unit cost $32,500 to $33,800. Once they're outfitted with police accessories, the total cost ranges from $40,694 to $42,400, Castro said.
Nolder said the all-wheel-drive feature, which all the new vehicles have, is a game-changer for officers. The system will cut response times on the Anchorage Hillside and to Eagle River neighborhoods.
"We're trying to focus on getting officers to calls safely," he said. "We want to maintain the applicant pool and not lose officers in vehicle accidents. It costs $100,000 to train officers in their first year."
Nolder discussed the safety features of the new vehicles on Monday as officers training in the background snaked through orange cones on a generally unused taxiway on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. After the cadets' training, they'll drive a mock pursuit for their final test. They do so in older, dented patrol sedans.
Among the safety features on the new vehicles: red and blue lights installed in the tailgate of the Interceptors (a raised tailgate blocks the light strip atop older vehicles), side-impact airbags, lights on the side mirrors, rear-view cameras and the ability to change the color of the light strip on top of the vehicle to orange. The strip lights can illuminate left or right to direct traffic.
An additional camera is mounted near the middle of the windshield of Nolder's Interceptor, though he said it's not hooked up yet. The police department is working through the logistics of installing cameras in all the new vehicles. He said he expects the cameras to be installed and operating in about six months.
The K-9 unit vehicles include the same accessories and more. The nonprofit Dollars for Dogs, which pays for the department's four-legged officers, purchased special kennels for the new Expeditions. The kennels include LED lights, an automatic fan system for cooling in warmer weather and a remote-control system that allows handlers to deploy their canine partners when they're not close enough to open the door.
Officers generally drive older patrol vehicles during their initial two years on the job, Nolder said, as they're more likely to get into an accident during that time. The police department's older models include Chevrolet Impalas and Ford Crown Victorias.
However, the police department tries to be fair when doling out the fresh rides to employees. Selection is based upon the total miles of an officer's current car. It is standard for patrol vehicles to be replaced every seven years or 100,000 to 120,000 miles.
"Some of the cars last much longer, but they're tough miles," Nolder said. Pursuits and quick responses are tough on brakes, transmissions and the like, he said. "The last thing officers want is for their brakes not to work."
Law enforcement agencies nationwide are opting to buy all-wheel-drive vehicles. The Ford Police Interceptor was the best-selling police vehicle in 2013, according to Automotive World. Ford last year sold 14,086 Interceptor SUVs, which is really just a police version of the Ford Explorer. The company also sold nearly 11,000 Taurus sedans outfitted for police work.
The Interceptor accounts for almost half of all police vehicles sold by General Motors, Ford and Chevrolet, according to R.L. Polk statistics.
The most visible change on the new vehicles may be the graphic designs. On the tailgates, "Courage to Make a Difference" is written in all caps. Castro said the slogan was recently adopted by the department. It recognizes the efforts of the police force but also acts as a message for the community to step up and offer information to police, she said.