The has put its last Crown Vic on the road.
According to a press release from the agency, the last Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ever to be used by the agency has rolled out of the Patrol’s fleet section in Olympia at the end of June, and is now assigned to a trooper in Spokane.
Ford stopped making what came to be known as the “Crown Vic” in September of 2011, according to CNN. The car has come to be beloved by troopers, according to the Washington State Patrol — if not speeding motorists.
“We understand the affection that an old time sheriff might have had for their horse,” said Assistant Chief James Lever, in a prepared statement. “We’ve been through a lot with these cars, and they’ve never failed us.”
That familiar sight in the rear-view mirror and on the sides of the freeway will be replaced by the Chevrolet Caprice for the Washington State Patrol's marked fleet, according to the press release.
According to the GM Fleet website, the Caprice comes standard with an efficient 3.6L V6 engine, front cloth bucket seats sculptured for gun belts with high wear fabric and seat back security panel, eight air bags and Rollover Sensing System.
“Just as we face the prospect of a number of troopers retiring in the near future, we have a lot of Crown Vics that are also ready for retirement,” Lever said. “That means our fleet section will be outfitting new cars at a rate we’ve not seen before.”
The Washington State Patrol has increased its efficiency in outfitting the Caprices with a process called "Lean," which streamlines the process of putting flashing lights, radios, computers and the trademark badge-and-flash paint scheme into trooper vehicles, according to the agency press release.
A mentor from the Boeing Company helped the state patrol adapt the "Lean" methods for its fleet division, and the patrol will use the philosophy to reduce turnaround time in the agency's Toxicology lab, according to a press release.
What about you, Patch reader? Will you miss the old Crown Vic? Any fond memories of the vehicle that you wish to share?
