Lower Police Drive New Vehicles

PRESS RELEASE FROM LOWER TOWNSHIP POLICE:
ERMA — Lower Township’s Police Fleet will soon be sporting an entirely new look for its marked patrol vehicles.
Chief Ed Donohue is changing the fleet from white Ford Crown Victoria’s to black and white Dodge Chargers.
The Ocean City Police Department has recently purchased several Dodge Charger Police Vehicles and Trenton and Atlantic City Police Departments are in the process of changing their marked fleet over to the Dodge Charger, as well.
Chief Donohue noted that there are only two (2) car companies that currently provide a decent police package vehicle, which is the Ford Crown Victoria and the Dodge Charger.
Donohue noted that the Dodge Charger with its V8 Hemi Engine, should resist wear and tear longer and require less vehicle maintenance and should therefore be able to stay in the fleet as a front line vehicle, for a longer period of time.
The Chief and his staff researched the issue for several months and based the switch by taking the following into account:
• The trunk area of a front line vehicle must be large enough to carry numerous pieces of equipment, ie; traffic cones, flairs, fire extinguishers, pry tools, blankets, first aid kits, oxygen bottles, etc., that officers are required to carry in their vehicle.
• The battery system of the car must be strong enough to run headlights, radios, overhead lights, sirens and mobile data computer terminals for each car.
• Officer safety issues must be met with the vehicle, such as the large shield in the back seat that separates prisoners from officers. These safety shields are only made for specific patrol package vehicles.
• The engine must be large enough to excelerate the vehicle in emergency situations, while resisting wear and tear with continued use.
• The breaking system must be exceptional while also resisting wear and tear.
In researching the Dodge Charger Police Package Vehicle, the department determined the following:
• The vehicle was rated slight better or equal to the Crown Victoria in gas • mileage.
• The Hemi Engine which is standard on all V8 Models, is rated excellent, standing up to continual use and requires less overall routine maintenance.
• The Charger has the largest battery capability of all police package vehicles to run the numerous electronic systems in a police vehicle.
• The Dodge Charger is the only rear wheel drive police vehicle with a short/long arm front suspension and an independent five (5) link rear suspension for prolonged life of the vehicle.
• Police Dodge Charger vehicles have significant improved road handling capabilities (which is an officer safety issue).
• The Dodge Chargers have larger standard tires for better road contact, (which is an officer safety issue).
• The Dodge Charger has a shorter stopping/breaking distance of any police package vehicle, (which again is an officer safety issue).
As for as budget concerns, the Dodge Charger Police Package Vehicle sells for slightly less or equal to the Ford Crown Victoria, so the decision was not a monetary issue.
The department purchased two (2) new Dodge vehicles through its 2008 Operating Expense Budget and will purchase two (2) additional vehicles through its 2009 Operating Expense Budget.
In addition, the department is seeking to purchase an additional vehicle using Federal Grant Funds.
The department also purchased two (2) four wheel drive Dodge Durangos through its capitol budget which are marked black and white as well.
The department also has a new look for the emblem on their police vehicles.
The new emblem still maintains a triangle shape, but now portrays a lighthouse with the wording “Lower Township Police, Serving Ocean to Bay Since 1955.”
The Cape May point Light House is actually located within Lower Township’s sprawling borders which run, North to the George Redding Bridge, East to the Beaches of Diamond Beach, West to the Delaware Bay, & South to the Light House, while sharing borders with Cape May, Cape May Point, West Cape May, Middle Township, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest.
The Township has over nine (9) miles of coast line and is home to numerous marinas, camp grounds, the county airport, cape May – Lewes Ferry Terminal, and the second largest commercial fishing fleet on the east coast.
The original emblem was based on the New Jersey State Police triangle established in 1921, after which many towns in New Jersey simply inserted their name into the State Police Emblem.
“I wanted to keep the triangle shape because of its honored history,” Donohue stated, “However I also wanted to portray our own sense of identity for our patrol area.”
The Chief also credited Captain Brian Marker, Mr. Harold Carty and the staff at the Department of Public Works, for the excellent work they did marking the new police vehicles in house, even creating the new emblem without having to purchase the emblems through an outside agency.
The first new vehicles are scheduled to hit the streets for service during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.