RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia State Police are phasing out their familiar silver-gray-and-blue police sedans and will transition to Ford Interceptor SUVs.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Monday that the department has to reckon with Ford Motor Co.’s decision to end production of its popular Taurus Police Interceptor sedan.
State police said they had little choice but to switch to an all-SUV fleet. Other potential vehicles tested failed to meet the department’s needs.
The department has bought more than 204 SUVs that are essentially a high-performance model of the Ford Explorer. A $9.5 million funding request before the General Assembly would allow state policed to buy 400 more of the vehicles in fiscal year 2021-22.
Meanwhile, the department said it will continue to evaluate and test other police vehicles.
State police used the Ford Taurus for nearly a decade after Ford stopped making the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
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