The Murrieta Police Department is in a transition phase with their patrol vehicles and you may have already seen some of the new 2014 Ford Explorers out on the road. The police department received the first six vehicles recently and has put them in service patrolling the City of Murrieta. The new Ford Explorers are replacing the all Dodge Charger fleet of patrol vehicles over the next two years.
The Murrieta Police Department established a fleet committee to evaluate and research the next purchase of patrol vehicles for the City. At the time, the Charger fleet was aging and maintenance costs on the Dodge Chargers were increasing significantly. After driving the Ford Explorer and other manufacturer’s offerings at a track day at the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Emergency Vehicle Operations Center, the fleet committee picked the Explorer as the hands down winner to be the next vehicle for Murrieta Patrol Officers.
The 2014 Ford Explorers purchased have a 3.7 liter, V6 generating 290 horsepower and are not turbocharged. All future purchases beginning with the 2015 Explorers will be the 3.5 liter V6 turbocharged models putting out 365 horsepower.
The Explorers have a lot of technology in them never before seen in Murrieta Police Cars. The Ford’s have so much new performance technology, that the department administration felt it necessary to put all officers through a high performance driving course before going out on patrol. This was done after we spoke to CHP and followed up on their recommendations to train our officers. The Explorer behaves and drives very differently in high performance situations from the rear wheel drive Dodge Chargers currently used in Murrieta. From a performance standpoint, the vehicle is an all wheel drive (AWD) with a phenomenal anti-lock braking system and active traction control. This technology assists the officer in high performance driving to control the vehicle and prevent over steer and under steer situations. Murrieta’s Ford Explorers have a high performance suspension as well.
On the inside of the Explorer there are very many well thought out improvements. The driver’s doors open almost to the 90 degree point allowing for easy entry and exit. There is more interior room for officers, rear seat prisoners, and a large equipment bay in the back of the vehicle. There is also a back up camera installed.
Officers are being set up with the latest GETAC 4G tablets installed in the vehicles for quick and efficient flow of information to and from dispatchers, and between other units in the field. The tablets display detailed mapping of the city and extremely detailed mapping of individual parcels, schools, and apartments. On the mapping system, officers are able to focus in on single classrooms, houses, or apartments when receiving calls for service to determine exactly where the call is coming from and how to best approach the call.
Within the next several years all of our police vehicles will be Ford Explorers. When we are out and about take the time to say hi and ask us about these new vehicles. We would love to show them to you.