Plainsboro Police are looking to purchase hybrid vehicles to replace two unmarked Crown Victorias to save money and help the environment.
According to Lieutenant Jay Duffy, the two cars currently average 10 miles per gallon. His research has shown that a similar hybrid will average 26 miles per gallon — using numbers based on regular patrol duty.
However, police will be using the new cars for administrative purposes, Duffy said. So far, police have tested the Ford Fusion, Toyota Highlander, and Ford Escape hybrids. The Escape and Highlander are small Sports Utility Vehicles, while the others are mid-sized sedans.
“A lot of people are using them as patrol vehicles,” said Duffy. “We’re going to test them out for administration and support vehicles. As we become more comfortable with it and understand how it fits into our operation, we will definitely look into using them in patrol as well.”
Purchase of the vehicles, however, is still months away, and police are still looking at their options, Duffy said. “Our budget won’t be approved until later this year (as part of the municipal budget). Right now, we’re just gathering information.”
“We want to be ready and have all our research in place so that once the money becomes available, we can immediately go out and buy the vehicles,” said Duffy.
Part of the decision is whether to go with a mid-sized sedan like the Fusion, or going with something bigger, like the Highlander. All of the models are available through state contractors.
“The reason we looked into it is that the gas savings are phenomenal, especially when you drive as much as people in police work drive,” said Duffy. “When you look at the math as to how much money you could save over the year by over-doubling your gas mileage, it makes a lot of sense to go toward the hybrid.”
Duffy added that a lot of the bigger police departments in the state, which have giant fleets, have already found some success using hybrids, and Plainsboro’s administrative officials have already been using hybrids in the township. Middlesex County is also providing a $1,000 rebate to municipalities that purchase alternative-fueled vehicles.
Because of the high mileage put onto police cars and the amount of idling and wear and tear on the engines, police vehicles are typically replaced every three to four years.
However, police work has changed and progressed over the years, and a lot of the work does not require police departments to have vehicles with high horse power, especially since high-speed pursuits are not allowed in New Jersey. “The need for giant, powerful vehicles is going to the wayside,” said Duffy. “We can get a lot more done for a lot less.”
