Dothan police try Chevrolet Impala as patrol car

It may have slightly less power, but it also weighs less and helps police maneuver the older, narrower streets of Dothan a littler easier.

This is how Sgt. Todd David described the new 2009 Chevrolet Impala he’s driven for several weeks, replacing the 2007 Ford Crown Victoria he used to drive as the supervisor of Dothan’s traffic division.

David said he and Corp. Lee Nelms drive the department’s two new patrol cars, which he said are commonly referred to as the “slick top Impala.” This is because the new patrol car’s emergency light bar has been moved from the roof to inside the car, making it less noticeable when the lights aren’t on.

“It’s just something that’s useful in traffic enforcement. You don’t have the obvious tell-tale sign of a light bar on it,” David said. “The acceleration in then seems comparable to a Crown Vic. It’s less horsepower, but less weight. I think it kind of balances out.”

Larry Muench, the general services director for the City of Dothan, said the city decided to replace the police department’s older model Ford Crown Victoria patrol cars with the Impala. The Impala costs the city $20,850, a price tag Muench said was about $2,000 cheaper than the Ford. He also said the Impala’s V-6 engine is about 3 to 4 miles per gallon better in fuel efficiency than the Ford’s V-8.

“We probably talked to three or four different police departments that were running them and we found nobody had any major problems with them,” Muench said.

He said the city bought 13 Impala cars that will be used as patrol vehicles, which he said was only about 7 to 10 percent of the department’s patrol car fleet.

Muench said the city will evaluate the reliability and operating cost of the car, along with officer reaction, for a year before making a determination on whether to order more for the department’s fleet of patrol cars.

“This is definitely a transition period where we’re going to try these Impalas and see how they work out,” Muench said. “I know we’ll eventually have to get away from the Crown Vic because Ford has announced 2011 will be the last year for the Crown Victoria police car.”

David said one of the major difference with Ford has been its handling characteristics, which include its front wheel drive compared to rear wheel drive of the Ford. The Impala also came equipped with plastic seats in the back behind the prisoner cage, which he said makes it easier for the officer to clean and also leaves more space for leg room.

David said the Impala came equipped with side air bags for each of the four doors in the vehicle. He also said the Impala has a better turning radius than the Ford, which has helped him maneuver around narrower streets in older neighborhoods of Dothan.

“Anything you can add for driver/occupant protection is good in our line of work,” David said. “It’s one of those things I hope I never have to find out, but it’s nice having that benefit.”