For police vehicles, wear and tear is part of the job. Regardless of make or model, police vehicles must meet the high expectations and demands of an officer’s activities on a day-to-day basis. To meet the specific needs of the job, law enforcement agencies require specialized craftsmanship and vehicles, large and small. Nonetheless, fleet management is a key area of potential savings for law enforcement agencies. Small changes can save fuel, labor, and money without negatively impacting performance or police work.
According to 2015 statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), police vehicles use an average of 1,423 gallons of fuel each year—nearly three times the average of an ordinary civilian car.1
High-speed travel and extended idling time are two of the more common culprits of high fuel usage.
Improved Efficiency for Idling Vehicles
As illustrated by DOE data, a typical police cruiser idles for 60 percent of the time during a normal shift and uses 21 percent of its total fuel while parked.2
Idling time is not wasted time, especially as police cruisers have become much more than mere transportation. Officers typically need to keep the car running in order to utilize video equipment, on-board computers, radar and radio hardware, and lights.
However, a simple new software solution can help these officers work smarter without sacrificing productivity. In fact, this software can seamlessly reduce fuel usage by up to 20 percent while a vehicle is idling.
The Derive Automotive Platform, developed by San Mateo, California-based Derive Systems, is an example of what is known as “telematics software.” A small piece of hardware is inserted into a vehicle’s on-board diagnostics II port (OBD-II port), and the software automatically displays desired vehicle data on a smartphone associated with the vehicle’s user. The software can be used in several ways, including restricting speed or requiring the operator of a vehicle to fasten his or her seat belt in order for the vehicle to start—or to make changes that reduce fuel usage without requiring the driver to do anything.
During an idling period, Derive’s software can automatically reduce vehicle RPMs to a predetermined level, keeping the car running while streamlining the fuel usage.
“You find the mission specifics of your fleet and then find ways to optimize your vehicles,” said Tom Kanewske, Derive’s vice president of business development. “Underneath the hood, most law enforcement vehicles are the same as what you’d find at a car lot. This gives an extra advantage. There are good reasons why law enforcement [cruisers] spend a lot of time idling. This helps bring them savings, and cops can’t even tell that anything is different.”3
Users of the technology can tailor the idling profile based on an area’s climactic and topographical characteristics. The hardware is “agnostic,” Kanewske said, working on any vehicle with an OBD-II port. Real-time technical support and on-site installations are available if needed. Ultimately, the solution can save hundreds of dollars per year per vehicle, Kanewske said, meaning that agencies could see a full return on their investment in 9 to 18 months.4
Another telematics solution is offered by Track Star International, a Charlotte, North Carolina, provider of GPS automatic vehicle location applications. One of the company’s signature products, Track Star AVLS, provides telematics that, like Derive, originate from a small piece of hardware inserted into an OBD-II port.5
Users of Track Star AVLS can customize different capabilities, but possibilities include feedback on fuel usage, engine diagnostics, driver behavior notifications, unlimited historical data retention, and mapping displays.
Hardware Upgrades
The nuts and bolts of a vehicle can make a real difference—literally. Identifying and purchasing the best parts can reduce fleet repairs and boost performance, particularly in the case of law enforcement vehicles, which endure more than their share of wear and tear.
Many manufacturers understand that reality, and at Diversified Cryogenics, based in Burnsville, Minnesota, engineers use a proprietary process to produce top-quality brake rotors designed to withstand the grueling punishment that law enforcement fleet vehicles endure.
Frozen Rotors undergo a 60-hour cryogenic freezing process that inhibits internal oxidation, which in turn improves tensile strength, longevity, and overall resistance to degradation. Performance is optimized, with Frozen Rotors imparting a more consistent braking process that can improve safety.
“Once it goes through the freezing process, it’s more resistant to fatigue and wear,” said Mark Link, Diversified Cryogenics president. “The rotors last longer and you’re saving money.”6
According to Link, average brake rotors tend to last between 7,000 and 23,000 miles. Frozen Rotors can last between 14,000 miles into the low-40,000s. Frozen Rotors are as much as 20 percent more expensive than another high-quality rotor but can save up to $400 per year per vehicle or more.7
Other hardware upgrades apply to the interior of the vehicle. One of the industry leaders in in-car video recording systems is Pro-Vision, a Byron Center, Michigan, manufacturer. Specially trained installers can travel anywhere in the United States to personally install any Pro-Vision system for agencies. Once installed, the 1080p HD video system provides 360-degree views and is protected by a five-year warranty.8
When It’s Time to Go Big
Specialty vehicles such as SWAT transportation, mobile command units, or bomb/EOD units usually represent a major expenditure for agencies. Although specific costs can vary based on size, purpose, and options, specialty vehicles can easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The good news is that strategies exist to increase these vehicles’ affordability. Federal grants are available through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the U.S. Department of Justice; and, potentially, various sources at the state level. In some situations, multiple departments and agencies also can collaborate and pool resources to jointly invest in these vehicles.
Upkeep and maintenance can also be a hidden and ongoing expense for such massive vehicles. For this reason, an effective warranty—and solid craftsmanship from the beginning—can keep an investment from becoming a liability. This assurance is what users can expect from Emergency Vehicles, Inc. (EVI), a Lake Park, Florida, manufacturer of specialty vehicles for law enforcement.
“We build our own body from the ground up. That differentiates us,” said Michael Cox, EVI’s vice president of sales. “We’re not a converter.” EVI also adds a lifetime warranty to each vehicle, which covers the body of the vehicle, outside of paint, hardware, and various accessories. In addition, there is a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the electrical system and related apparatus installed by EVI.9
There is also a commitment to customer service. The entire process begins when an EVI representative personally visits an agency to discern specific needs and capabilities. Size and functionality vary widely, as do considerations like the ultimate vehicle operator and the level of certification that driver will need. “We literally build our vehicles inch by inch,” Cox said. “Our customer service isn’t trying to sell anything. We get great feedback on the strength of our vehicles, but the best part is when we sit down to work with them.”10
According to Cox, EVI’s most popular vehicles are the bomb or EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) unit, for which they are seeing a “constant demand.”11 However, vehicles can also be created to serve multiple functions. For example, the front of a vehicle could be a mobile command or communications area, with the back serving as a tactical hub.
Regardless of a law enforcement agency’s need and budget, the options for increasing, improving, or upgrading its fleet are expansive, including specialized vehicles, customizable options, and innovative software and hardware. ♦
Notes:
1U.S. Department of Energy, “Average Annual Fuel Use of Major Vehicle Categories.”
2U.S. Department of Energy, “Idling Reduction for Emergency and Other Service Vehicles.”
3Tom Kanewske (vice president, business development, Derive Systems), telephone interview, March 9, 2018.
4Kanewske, interview.
5Track Star International, www.trackstar.com.
6Mark Link (president, Diversified Cryogenics), telephone interview, March 12, 2018.
7Link, interview.
8Pro-Vision.
9Michael Cox (vice president, sales, Emergency Vehicles, Inc.), telephone interview, March 9, 2018.
10Cox, interview.
11Cox, interview.
