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UPDATE: California Highway Patrol Dodge Charger Pursuit Police Sedans Begin to Arrive

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122 of the 588 Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans that have been ordered by the California Highway Patrol are already out on the road

The Dodge Charger Pursuit is finally on the patrol in California

Last July, The News Wheel ran a story about the California Highway Patrol exchanging its older patrol vehicles with Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans. As 2017 progresses, it would seem that some of those Dodge Chargers are beginning to arrive at Highway Patrol stations across the Golden State.

As the transition takes full swing, the California Highway Patrol is preparing to replace its Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles with Dodge Charger Pursuits.


Learn More About the Dodge Charger Pursuit: Dodge Makes the 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit Safer for Police Officers


When the California Highway Patrol first placed the order for the Dodge police vehicles, the organization was set to receive 580 Charger Pursuit models. Between then and now, eight additional Dodge Charger Pursuit police sedans have been ordered by the department.

Of the 588 Dodge Charger Pursuits ordered, 122 are currently on the road. A new Charger Pursuit sedan is delivered each time that a current patrol vehicle becomes inoperable or passes a 100,000-mile benchmark.

Woop-woop! That’s the sound of the police!

Recently, a new Charger Pursuit vehicle was delivered to the California Highway Patrol in Santa Anna, after one of its current Ford Police Interceptors was damaged by a suspected drunk driver. Noe Rodriguez, the resident mechanic for the Santa Anna California Highway Patrol location, was tasked with getting the new model ready for the road.

“They all have their pros and cons,” Rodriguez said of the various models used by the California Highway Patrol. “The SUV’s got good room, it’s easy to get out of, handles easy.”

2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility

Out with the old and in with the new

Of course, a larger vehicle like the Ford Police Interceptor Utility demanded a larger payment. On average, the Ford police SUV cost the department $27,671, while the new Charger Pursuits cost $23,695.

Additionally, the Charger’s 3.6-liter V6 engine is able to produce 292 horsepower, compared to the Interceptor’s 280 horsepower from its 3.7-liter V6 engine.

The CHP even has some of these old beauties still in use
Photo: Highway Patrol Images

As more time passes, more of the California Highway Patrol’s Ford Police Interceptor Utility models, and even a few of its remaining Crown Victoria models, will slowly be replaced by the remaining Dodge Charger Pursuits that have been ordered. The department currently has a two-year contract with Dodge, so it has that long to decide whether to stick with the Charger Pursuit sedan as its patrol vehicle of choice.


A Safer Driving Experience: Chrysler Encourages Safe Teen Driving with Launch of “Mopar Road Ready”


Nevertheless, the Dodge Charger Pursuit police sedans are already making quite the good impression with the officers who drive them.

“I really like the look of the Charger,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Florentino Olivera.“It just looks like a cop car.”

News Source: The Orange County Register