Florida Troopers Get Muscle Cars

AP reported that Camareos join police force."That's not "Magnum PI" or a "Miami Vice" detective in the sleek sports car, but the comparison isn't lost on the state trooper behind the wheel.

Dale Whiddon is one of the first troopers driving the 200 Chevrolet Camaros purchased by the Florida Highway Patrol.

"It's a fun vehicle, but you still have to be an example to the public," said Whiddon, who got his Camaro on Friday. "It's not for joyrides."

Troopers haven't had so much fun since the mid-1990s, when the patrol's final Ford Mustang, another muscle car that went into service as a cruiser in the 1980s, was retired.

Each black-and-cream Camaro costs $23,000, about $2,000 more than a full-size Ford Crown Victoria, the standard cruiser, but it has better performance and resale value, said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tommy Moore.

The Camaro has a 5.7-liter engine that churns out 310 horsepower and can reach nearly 160 m.p.h. Camaros can hit 100 m.p.h. in just under 14 seconds, or 10 seconds quicker than Crown Victorias, in tests by Michigan State Police.

That should mean shorter and safer pursuits, Moore said.

"Let's say I clock somebody going 100 m.p.h.," he said. "By the time I slow down and turn around in the median, that driver is a mile down the road and they're not slowing down. Now, I have to overtake them."

The patrol isn't getting rid of the Crown Victorias, which are better for carrying prisoners and other passengers.

Besides, the Camaro is destined for a short career with the patrol because 2002 is its last year in production. The patrol normally trades in a cruiser after 65,000 to 75,000 miles.

Moore said the Camaros look as fast as they are, making them a deterrent to drivers who might have tried to outrun a standard cruiser. In Pensacola, Escambia County sheriff's deputies, who have nine Camaros in their traffic division, can vouch for their effectiveness in stopping speeders.

"We're on them before they can even think about running," said sheriff's Sgt. Alan Barton. "A lot of times we'll see them just pull right over."

Another advantage is public relations, Moore said.

"I think most people like the new look," Moore said. "Dale's hand is probably about to fall off from all the waving he's been doing."

Then there's the morale factor.

"I feel good about it," Whiddon said. "It sure breaks up the monotony of patrol."