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| Mayor Michael Londeau celebrates the unveiling of 20 new hybrid Ford Police Interceptor vehicles with members and officials of the department. The new fleet was purchased using American Rescue Plan Act funds. |
The Ford Police Interceptors were purchased using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Each new vehicle features a 3.3-liter HEV engine with 318 combined horsepower, officials said. Ford Motor Co. describes the model as “the first-ever pursuit-rated hybrid police SUV.” The next generation engines are approximately 25 percent more fuel efficient than the previous Westland fleet of Ford Explorer models, officials said.
The new patrol cars are also equipped with all-new technology systems allowing officers to have access to as much information as possible while on patrol or responding to incidents, police officials said.
The department also opted for a new color scheme for the fleet, switching to Ford Carbonized Gray. This will be the first time in department history that the fleet has used gray, with the previous patrol vehicles being black, white or silver.“As a police department, WLPD is committed to not only protecting the community, but also doing its part to reduce its carbon footprint. These cars will help the department patrol the streets more efficiently while also reducing emissions and promoting sustainability,” officials noted in a prepared statement.
“We are very proud to have one of the first police departments in the area to take the eco-friendly step of transitioning to hybrid patrol cars and is a major achievement in our city- wide commitment to responsibly moving to earth friendly practices”, commented Mayor Michael P. Londeau.
