Prescott Valley Police Department gets additional support from a pair Dodge Challenger R/Ts.
Most people are familiar with the headlight patterns on a Ford Police Interceptor Utility and a Dodge Charger Pursuit. Some departments will have other cars in their fleet to make it easier for speeders. Prescott Valley Police Department is an example of one such department.
To help crackdown on reckless drivers, the police department mentioned recently purchased a pair Dodge Challenger R/T units. These cars will report to duty in plain clothes to make them harder to spot. The Challengers were also given silver and grey cars. The cars report to the traffic unit of the department and perform other duties. These include traffic accident response, daily enforcement, and special details like speed enforcement and pedestrian safety. We also enforce impaired driving (or DUI).
Why is this patrol car necessary? According to the department they have witnessed more aggressive driving and excessive speeds. The department even has its own statistics that show a 2920% increase in excessive speed citations. They also include civilian reports about reckless drivers.
This is not the first time that a police department has used a Challenger to enforce speed limits. These Mopars seem to be a favorite of Florida, with the Mopars being seen in action in Broward County. They also wore the Highway Patrol uniform. Other Challengers were donated or confiscated, and later became part of the police force. Prescott Valley Police Department now has Challengers in its motor pool.
What are the speeders up to? The Challenger R/T has a 5.7L Hemi V8 which produces 375 horsepower (280kilowatts) as well as 400 lb-ft (542 Newton meters). It is almost identical to the Hemi-equipped Charging Pursuit which makes the Challenger somewhat redundant. However, it is far less obvious than the Challenger. If the R/T can’t keep pace with a fleeing criminal, the Motorola is always there.