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CAN SMALL CARS DO THE POLICE JOB?

NCJ Number
66325
Journal
TRAFFIC SAFETY Volume: 79 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 18-19,28
Author(s)
L E SELLERS
Date Published
1979
Length
3 pages
Annotation
STUDIES CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL (CHP) TO ASCERTAIN PROBABLE SPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF SMALLER POLICE CARS AND TO ADAPT THEM TO LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
EXPERIMENTS AND PERFORMANCE TESTS BEGAN WITH THE PURCHASE OF A MID-SIZED DODGE CORONET IN 1973. THEN CAME TESTING OF INTERMEDIATE AND COMPACT CARS WITH POWERFUL ENGINES IN 1974, THE PURCHASE OF 100 INTERMEDIATE-SIZED CARS WITH SMALLER 360-CUBIC-INCH ENGINES IN 1975, AND THE PURCHASE OF INTERMEDIATE-SIZED CARS AS VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS IN 1976. IN 1977, CHP FOUND THAT MID-SIZED CHEVROLETS, PONTIACS, AND DODGES WITH 350 TO 360-CUBIC-INCH ENGINES WERE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE COMPARED TO THE FORMER HIGH-POWERED 440 CUBIC-INCH ENGINES, ALTHOUGH THE TOP SPEED WAS LESS THAN SPECIFICATIONS REQUIRED IN PREVIOUS YEARS. A CURRENT EXPERIMENT INVOLVES THE ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE AND OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF 48 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SMALL V-8 ENGINES AND THEIR ABILITY TO MEET TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS. THE STUDY WILL ALSO EVALUATE THE USEFULNESS OF SPECIFIC LIMITED-PURPOSE VEHICLES SUCH AS THE CAMARO. CHP FUTURE PLANNING WILL AIM AT DETERMINING WHAT SIZE VEHICLES WILL BE AVAILABLE AND HOW SMALL CARS CAN BE OUTFITTED WITH SPECIAL EQUIPMENT. IT WILL ALSO ADDRESS EASE OF TRANSPORTING ARRESTED PEROSNS IN SMALLER CARS. POLICE WILL BE FORCED TO ADAPT TO SMALLER CARS BECAUSE OF THE 1985 REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL CORPORATE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY REGULATIONS AND A PROBABLE MAJOR MODEL CHANGE BY GENERAL MOTORS. ALTHOUGH THE 1983 CARS WILL HAVE A LOWER SPEED CAPABILITY, MOST DRIVERS DO NOT FLEE FROM POLICE AND MOST SPEED HANDICAPS CAN BE OVERCOME BY POLICE EXPERTISE AND EQUIPMENT. (AOP)

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