2 new police cars have Escondido cops revved

By Kristina Davis
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER | November 16, 2006

ESCONDIDO – The Police Department is putting a little more muscle into its car fleet.

Yesterday, the City Council approved the purchase of two 2007 Dodge Charger patrol cars that have officers pretty excited.

CRISSY PASCUAL / Union-Tribune Escondido Police Officers Tom Phelps (left) and Steve Higgins just finished test-driving a loaner version of the two swift Dodge Chargers that the city is buying for the force.

The car has a 340-horsepower, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine and looks arguably more menacing – and just plain cooler – than the classic Ford Crown Victoria that officers now drive.

The Charger's slanted headlights and in-your-face grill almost give the impression of a snarling glare when viewed head-on.

Officers have been lining up to test-drive a loaner version of the car since last week.

“I liked the power,” said Officer Steve Higgins, who took it for a spin yesterday.

“It's the new thing,” said Sgt. Don Shumate, who helps oversee the agency's fleet of about 130 cars. “The guys are liking it. The general opinion so far seems to be that it is a good car, nimble, quick.”

Costing the department about $25,000 each, the Charger is about $1,000 more than the Crown Victoria, with its 250-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 engine.

The department has already set aside the money in the current budget for the cars.

The traffic unit will likely get first dibs on the two cars, Shumate said.

The department is one of hundreds around the nation to try the Charger, and several have begun adding them to their fleets, including the Oceanside Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department.

“Anytime we make a major equipment change – and a police car is a very important piece of equipment of an officer – we need to be very selective,” Shumate said. “We want the feedback.”

Some of the drawbacks officers have already brought up include the smaller trunk size for equipment and back-seat space for prisoners.

Oceanside recently bought two of the cars and is in the middle of a six-month evaluation period to determine if they will order more.

The car's official Web site boasts that the Charger is ideal for pursuits, with acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in six seconds and a top speed of 160 mph.

“You get up to speed quicker, which is good if you're going after somebody,” said Officer Tom Phelps, who took the car on the highway and dirt roads.

It gets 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, the same as the Crown Victoria.

The hottest car in the department thus far has been its black-and-white 1998 Chevy Camaro, which the traffic unit uses.

It will be phased out soon because of its high mileage, Shumate said.