Law enforcement vehicles are used for more than just to get around or pursue criminals. They can save money and manhours, solve crimes more quickly, streamline operations—even provide a public relations boost.However, vehicles can also be a drain on resources due to ongoing maintenance needs, uncertain fuel costs, or simple unreliability. Picking the right vehicle for the job is almost as important as finding the right officer for a given position.

From motorcycles to mobile command units, law enforcement agencies have a wealth of vehicle options. Many companies also provide special training and support services that often mean more than the mechanical elements of a vehicle.

Plugged In for Benefits

When it comes to vehicles, going green is more than an abstract notion. Switching from gas to electric power can save thousands of dollars in fuel and maintenance. There are other benefits, too, from enforcement advantages to increased community good will.

“From a stealth standpoint, from a heat standpoint, and from a cost standpoint, [green vehicles] help [police] do their jobs more effectively,” said Neil Roth, president of Xtreme Green Vehicles, which designs and manufactures non-passenger electric transports like all-terrain (ATV) and utility vehicles (UTV) from its plant in Las Vegas, Nevada.¹

Xtreme Green Electric Vehicles offers several products designed specifically for police use. The Sentinel Police Mobility Vehicle (PMV) is designed to replace foot or bike patrols. The Transport Pro UTV can hit speeds of up to 40 miles per hour; the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department uses the five-seat UTV for neighborhood patrols. The Citadel and Tiger ATV models can climb 30-degree grades and come equipped with police lighting.

Every Xtreme Green vehicle may be plugged into any standard outlet. The company’s lithium-ion battery is capable of charging 2,000 times with no noticeable decline in performance, and each charge powers the vehicle for up to 80 miles.

The financial performance of electric vehicles is fairly clear. For every $1,000 spent on gasoline for its traditional counterpart, an Xtreme Green vehicle costs $10 to run. When maintenance savings are added in, cost reductions can run into the thousands. Roth estimates that an electric vehicle that travels 5,000 miles to 6,000 miles in a year will pay for itself in three years. “Not only do you save on actual gas, but you save on maintenance,” Roth pointed out. “There are no oil changes, no water system. The maintenance is almost nothing—just brakes and steering.”²

As many as 100 police departments have purchased an electric vehicle from Xtreme Green, Roth estimated. Part of the draw has to do with the electric motor, which is far quieter than a traditional engine. Officers and agencies that frequently work on trails, in forested areas, or near national borders prefer electric vehicles for the ability to approach suspects without being noticed.

“If you’re going 20 miles per hour on our ATV, you have to be within 50 yards of [suspects] for them to even know it’s near you,” Roth said. “With a gas-powered ATV, you can hear it from three miles away.”³

PMVs also can serve as a deterrent to crime. Officers can move more quickly on the PMV than they can on foot, the vehicle allows them stand nine inches above their own height for a better vantage point, and officers can dismount more easily than they can from a bike. “There’s lots of anecdotal evidence that they reduce petty thefts by as much as 50 percent,” Roth said of the PMVs. “The perpetrator can actually see them, so there’s a prevention aspect.”⁴

Last, but not least, with community relations gaining a more prominent role in many police departments’ toolboxes, reducing emissions can deliver serious public relations value at city hall and among the general public. “There’s a lot of pressure to reduce carbon emissions,” Roth pointed out. “It’s a very positive move. We replace [gas-powered] ATVs and UTVs, which don’t have a lot of protections for the environment, so there’s a dramatic reduction [in emissions]. A lot of departments, when they buy one of our vehicles, they put out a press release.”⁵

Better Options for Big-Ticket Items

Depending on a department’s needs and capabilities, larger vehicles can sometimes seem out of reach. But companies that sell these items work hard to make them attainable for a wider spectrum of agencies.

For example, take Infinity Helicopter Leasing. Based in Grand Prairie, Texas, Infinity’s business is leasing helicopters to a variety of customers, including to those in the law enforcement sector. That’s likely welcome news for many police forces, who recognize the value of a helicopter unit but can’t afford to purchase a new machine, which can run $3 million or even more.

“It’s difficult to go to the city council and get [the purchase of a helicopter] approved,” said Tim Starn, Infinity’s director of law enforcement sales. “Then, if something fails, you’re paying for it, and then you’re going back to the trough. Leasing can be no money up front, and it’s a fixed dollar payment over 7 or 10 years.”⁶

Compared with the cost of buying a new helicopter, leasing is eminently affordable. Though exact rates vary based on municipal credit rating and other factors, leasing can average about $30,000 a month, and includes costs related to repairs and maintenance.

No matter a department’s size, helicopters, and airborne units in general, have a demonstrable effect on crime. A 2004 study from researchers at Norwich University in Vermont found that, while helicopters are more expensive than fixed-wing aircraft and non-airborne options, they can significantly reduce crime and provide substantial value in operations like search-and-rescue efforts.⁷ “When a helicopter is airborne, it’s first on scene 90 percent of the time,” Starn said. “Before we’re even on the scene, we get [suspects] on camera… Seeing a helicopter is like seeing the black-and-white driving on a highway. It makes the bad guys think twice.”⁸

For further savings, Starn suggests jurisdictions can pool resources and share costs with a joint powers agreement, which allows more than one agency to jointly acquire and use a given asset or group of assets, such as helicopters.

Large tactical vehicles also are a big investment. But when calamity strikes, these mobile police stations and staging areas can be invaluable. Matthews Specialty Vehicles, Inc., headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, can custom tailor their vehicles, from SWAT trucks to mobile command centers, to suit the needs of individual police agencies.

“It’s better built for the long run,” said David Austin, Matthews’ senior project coordinator. “They have all the creature comforts of home. If staff are working 8, 10, 12 hours a day, that working environment plays a big part in their mental capacity.”⁹

New technologies like WiFi and touchscreen consoles put Matthews’ mobile command centers at the cutting edge, but their foundation remains grounded in solid construction. “Most will build in a bread truck style, but that format is somewhat limiting,” Austin said. “We’re able to build onto a 45-foot motor home chassis and we have a custom-built frame. It’s heavier and more durable.”¹⁰

A mobile command center can cost up to $600,000, Austin said, but Matthews is equipped to help departments finance the purchase. Among the options, Matthews’ staff experts can assist departments in seeking out federal and other grants for which an agency’s purchase might be eligible.

Often, large vehicles like mobile command centers also need accessories. One option is lift gates, which can help prevent officer strain and injury by hoisting prisoners, patients, equipment, and more into a vehicle. Mac’s Lift Gate, based in Long Beach, California, provides lift gates for public safety customers. Depending on the model, Mac’s lifts can handle up to 1,300 pounds, according to the company website, and, although they are virtually maintenance-free, they also come with a five-year warranty.¹¹

Trained and Nimble

When a company has more than 90 percent of its market share, it must be doing something right.

That’s where the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, stands when it comes to U.S. police motorcycles, according to company data. Harley-Davidson began manufacturing motorcycles for police in 1908 and became an industry leader not long after. “We’ve escorted presidents and protected battlefields,” said George Petropoulos, Harley-Davidson’s manager of police and fleet sales. “Harley-Davidson knows how to do the police business. We make a large investment not only in the vehicles, but in people.”¹²

Officers rave about the nimbleness of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle’s handling, on top of the horsepower it provides. Even more nimble, though, may be the company itself, which takes pride in collaborating with, and responding to, the law enforcement community.

For example, Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle company to create a Police Advisory Board, which includes representatives from police departments around the United States (both Harley and non-Harley customers alike). Company leaders act on the feedback they receive, as evidenced by recent upgrades in power, controls, comfort, and other facets of its three police models—Road King, Electra Glide, and Sportster—that incorporated officer requests. Moreover, each model is customizable to fit the myriad needs of various departments. “We have plug-and-play concepts that best suit any agency,” Petropoulos said. “You have the ability to pick and choose what’s best for the demographic area where you’re working.”¹³

Harley-Davidson also offers mechanical training to agencies. It’s just one way the company works to help its users control costs. Those efforts are bearing fruit; Harley-Davidson motorcycles cost up to five cents less to operate per mile than its lead competitors, Petropoulos said. “We look at the cost of ownership and the cost per mile,” Petropoulos explained. “We always want to know what we can do better…We want to meet the expectations that police have for us.”¹⁴

Whether agencies need more automobiles for their fleets or bikes for their motorcycle units—or other vehicles to increase their air, water, or all-terrain capabilities—they’re often considering more than just the mechanics, including environmental factors, cost, and customizability. Large and small companies have responded to those needs, as demonstrated by the myriad options available to police departments. ♦

Notes:
¹ Neil Roth (president, Xtreme Green Electric Vehicles), telephone interview, June 13, 2016.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Tim Starn (director, law enforcement sales, Infinity Helicopter Leasing), telephone interview, June 13, 2016.
⁷ Rick May, “Police Helicopters and Their Invaluable Contribution to Law Enforcement,” 2004, in City Council Agenda Report (Costa Mesa, CA: 2011), Appendix 2 (accessed June 15, 2016).
⁸ Starn, telephone interview, June 13, 2016.
⁹ David Austin (senior project coordinator, Matthews Specialty Vehicles, Inc.), telephone interview, June 13, 2016.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Mac’s Lift Gate, “Homepage” (accessed June 15, 2016).
¹² George Petropoulos (manager, police and fleet sales, Harley-Davidson), telephone interview, June 14, 2016.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Ibid.

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