The demise of the storied Crown Victoria sedan has forced police agencies throughout North America to rethink their automotive needs. And for the Vancouver Police Department it comes down to two contestants battling for the coveted badge: Ford’s Police Interceptor sedan and Dodge’s Charger Pursuit sedan.

Two new Interceptors have hit the streets of Vancouver. The pair of Fords has made it through the Outfitting shop and are now equipped for active duty, keeping officers and citizens safe. Getting these units ready for patrol work has not been without its challenges.

The Police Interceptors are completely different from the Crown Victoria units, and presented numerous hurdles in sorting out wiring and equipment installations, including positioning laptops in such a manner as to not impede the driver while angled toward the passenger. Small matters on the surface, but when there are airbag zones to respect and space limitations things get dicey.

Photo: Rob Rothwell

The Fords are first out of the gate while the Department awaits the arrival of two Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans for a side-by-side evaluation against the Interceptors. This is still anyone’s competition to win. The officers will complete detailed evaluation surveys online after driving each vehicle.

The Dodges are rear-wheel drive (RWD) units while the Fords are all-wheel drive (AWD). It will be interesting to see if this becomes a defining factor one way or the other. I suspect another criterion that may be influential is that of interior room and comfort.

After jamming a laptop and a chunky centre console between two large officers, space for the humans becomes scarce; especially when those humans are wearing heavily laden duty belts and winter clothing.

Time will tell which police car earns its stripes. I look forward to keeping our readers apprised of the action on the mean streets.