The New York State Police just highlighted how much it likes the Ford Mustang GT by announcing the addition of 19 units to its patrol fleet.
The muscle car, with its 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine, churns 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. For more power, there is the active valve performance exhaust, which bumps up the power to 486 horsepower.
It is not known if the NYSP opted for the extra 6 horsepower. But what we do know is that the police are petrol heads just like us, charged with additional responsibilities and authority to curb crime.
Unsurprisingly, the NYSP said in a statement that the Mustangs will be used to address excessive speeding and aggressive driving. Offenders, you might want to be wary of a gray police Mustang, because those flashing lights in the rearview mirror are not going to fade.
The Mustang Prototype Will Make it to the Streets This Week
An official statement by the NYSP reveals that a prototype Mustang GT police patrol vehicle “has been used for training and evaluation, and will begin its initial patrol deployment in Troop G (Capital Region) this week.”
The rest of the Mustang fleet, meanwhile, is undergoing the process of becoming police cars. The muscle cars won’t have to take the oath of office.
Instead, they will be fitted with safety equipment, communications, and emergency lighting before being deployed on the streets in the coming weeks.
Why the Ford Mustang GT?
The NYSP states that the Ford Mustang GT has been included in its fleet to adapt to “evolving traffic enforcement challenges.”
What particularly impressed the department was the Mustang’s “performance and maneuverability,” which will come in handy when dealing with “aggressive driving, excessive speeding and other hazardous driving behaviors that put public safety at risk.”
In addition, the Mustang costs 30% less than the patrol SUVs, and is expected to offer enhanced visibility, safety, and all-weather capability.
It will be deployed in “a targeted manner in each State Police Troop” on the highways to support “high-visibility enforcement details and complement existing patrol vehicles.”
The NYSP expects the Mustang GTs to improve “enforcement effectiveness and officer safety, and to serve as a visible deterrent to dangerous driving.”
Announcing the addition of the Ford Mustang GT to the NYSP fleet, Superintendent Steven G. James said:
“These vehicles represent a thoughtful and strategic addition to our fleet. Our goal is to provide troopers with the tools they need to safely and effectively carry out their mission. The Mustang enhances our ability to conduct traffic enforcement while reinforcing our commitment to protecting the public on New York’s roadways.”
Police Officer Caught Racing in Marked Dodge Charger
Speaking about the police and performance cars, Guessing Headlights recently reported an incident from Homestead, Miami, where an officer in a marked Dodge Charger asked the driver of a red Challenger SRT at a stoplight for a race.
The Challenger was pulled over by the same officer earlier for doing donuts, and the driver was reportedly let go with a warning. Footage circulating on social media shows the officer rolling down his window and asking the driver of the Challenger if he wanted to “run it.”
Suspecting a trick that could get him caught, the driver of the Challenger asked him to promise it was an actual race before agreeing to race an officer on duty.
What followed was a beep of the horn to signal the start of the race. The police officer executed a flawless launch and pulled away, while the red Challenger struggled with wheelspin.
Clearly, the officer was way more skilled than the person piloting the Challenger, making us wonder whether he had made several drag runs against other drivers with fast cars before.
However, the footage uploaded by that same driver on Instagram has attracted trouble for the officer, raising concerns about a police officer racing on the streets of Miami.
Homestead police released a statement, announcing that an investigation has been launched against the officer in question.