A Tahoe tool: New SUV to help police with snow patrol
Police fleet
The Janesville Police Department vehicle fleet includes:
Marked patrol cars: 16
Unmarked cars for detectives and the street crimes unit: 7
Marked patrol cars assigned to schools: 5
Undercover vehicles: 3
Marked patrol cars assigned to officers with police dogs: 2
Administrative cars: 1
Pickup trucks: 1
Sport utility vehicles: 1
Photo
Sign-A-Rama Owner Doug Meyers attaches the final decal to the Janesville Police Department's Chevy Tahoe.
Photo
Sign-A-Rama Owner Doug Meyers attaches the final decal to the Janesville Police Department's Chevy Tahoe.
JANESVILLE — In winters past, snowstorms left Janesville police officers scrambling for vehicles that could punch through drifts on unplowed streets.
They sometimes borrowed four-wheel-drive vehicles from the public works department or drove their personal trucks or SUVs.
But, the borrowed vehicles weren't marked as police vehicles or equipped with emergency lights and other police equipment. The police department later got magnetic decals and portable light bars for use with borrowed vehicles, Chief Dave Moore said.
"We've experienced some very heavy snow over the last few years," he said. "It got to the point with some of those snowstorms that our patrol fleet was really unable to access all areas of the city."
This winter, the department will have a new tool on snow days: a sport utility vehicle.
A 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe will be equipped as a patrol vehicle, the first SUV in the department's fleet. The other patrol cars are Chevrolet Impalas.
The department typically buys eight squad cars a year. This year, it will purchase seven Impalas and the Tahoe, Moore said.
The Impalas cost $21,300 before they're installed with police equipment, compared to $30,800 for the Tahoe, he said.
The Tahoe will be assigned to patrol supervisors who don't drive as much, saving gas mileage, Moore said.
A patrol officer's car averages 60,000 miles a year, compared to 25,000 miles a year for a supervisor's car, he said. The department estimates it will cost $1,000 more a year to fuel the Tahoe compared to the Impalas.
The Tahoe will improve the department's ability to respond in snowstorms and will be used to carry equipment needed in the field, Moore said.
"With the purchase of the Tahoe, we'll better be able to provide for citizens," he said.
The only other four-wheel-drive vehicle the department has is a pickup truck used to tow the SWAT trailer. The truck also has been used on patrol when needed.
The Tahoe was not made in Janesville.
"It's ironic that the year Janesville no longer makes the Tahoe, the Janesville Police Department obtains one," Moore said.
Sep 30, 2009 at 3:52 p.m.
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One word - Subaru....I've been loyal to the brand for years - they last forever, they blast through snow, they are good on gas (considering AWD) and they are made in America. Many Colorado departments use Legacys and Imprezas - I am driving a 2008 Outback Sport and run circles around Tahoes in the snow!! Just a thought....(reiterating Janesvillean's point with the AWD)
Or we could equip them all with Subaru STI's - I'd like to see someone outrun one of those babies!!
Sep 29, 2009 at 7:42 p.m.
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They can take it back after 60 days if they don't like it.
Maybe they can use it only on the 60 days that it will snow in Janesville this winter and return it for a full refund.
Heck of a deal...
Sep 29, 2009 at 3:16 p.m.
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Should of bought a Jeep, Tahoe is just keeping shops busy so there is parts on hand. Of course G.M. is saving allot of money now with all the high paid employees gone..
Sep 29, 2009 at 2:49 p.m.
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Then it had to be made down in Texas, Former Pres. Bush state.
Sep 29, 2009 at 8:57 a.m.
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Face it, there is NO 100% American made anymore in any vehicle mfg. My Toyota Tundra has more American made parts and actually assembled in TX vs. most Chevy Silverados assembled in Mexico or Canada with more foreign parts on it. I wish everyone would get off their high horse and quit falsifying information to everybody. It may be true that the PD's only have a certain selection of vehicles to use and modify as a PD vehicle, but that can also be changed if they chose to. A vehicle is just a vehicle and all can be modified if they want to change for PD use. A Chevy Aveo can become a police vehicle if they wanted to, but doubt it since you got to have some standards I guess?
Sep 29, 2009 at 8:35 a.m.
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Glad to see the PD purchasing American made vehicles.
Sep 29, 2009 at 7:44 a.m.
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The choices for "police package" vehicles are generally two or at most three models across the entire US auto industry. The Ford Crown Victoria ruled the market after the Chevy Caprice was discontinued. GM, riding the SUV boom, decided to market the Tahoe to police departments.
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Anyway, Janesville was able to get Cavaliers customized with a police package because we were a GM town, basically. I don't know that the JPD actually prefers them. As for having an SUV for snowstorm response, AWD is actually better for lousy weather than 4WD.
Sep 29, 2009 at 7:32 a.m.
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Hey "JA67".. read the last 2 lines of the story...
"The Tahoe was not made in Janesville.
"It's ironic that the year Janesville no longer makes the Tahoe, the Janesville Police Department obtains one," Moore said."...
enough said....
Sep 28, 2009 at 10:55 p.m.
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Well Pete not everyone is arrogant as you! Thanks Janesville PD for buying American made not foriegn!I'll drive a gas guzzles before being caught dead in foriegn made vehicle...
Sep 28, 2009 at 10:35 p.m.
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What is wrong with a 4 cylinder 4wd RAV4 or CRV that gets 25mpg vs. 15mpg and costs at least 5-6K cheaper than the Tahoe, if not more? I think the 4-cylinder vehicles made nowadays are more than enough to keep up with all but the fastest cars on the road today and still can haul cargo and criminals comfortably in the back seat. The days of the V8 are becoming dinosaurs and the police dept. needs to adjust as well as we do. Heck, even a 3.5L V6 RAV4 at 2K more in price than a 4 cylinder has more than enough power to outmuscle in a drag race the Chevy 5.3L Tahoe V8 and still get only 1 mpg less than the 4cylinder RAV4. That is why 3.8 or 3.9L V6 chevy impalas are used nowadays for police cars because they are more fuel efficient and just as fast as bigger gas guzzling V8's caprice classics and ford crown vics.
Sep 28, 2009 at 10:31 p.m.
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I bet it wasn't a Janesville built Tahoe.
Sep 28, 2009 at 6:59 p.m.
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Funny, the sheriff's department stripped many of their 4WDs of police equipment and turned them into gas-guzzling take-home car parks for the administration members (sure know how to tighten their belts, eh?) or uses them for unmarked miscellaneous fleet vehicles.
Guess it doesn't snow much out in the county!
Sep 28, 2009 at 6:05 p.m.
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Actually in makes a big difference in vehicles. I used to have a small compact and now have a mid size coupe. My small compact did way better in the snow than new car that is suppose to get through the weather better. And if curious they are both a GM product.
Sep 28, 2009 at 5:59 p.m.
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wow--I drive a cavalier (before the roads are plowed) and have not had a problem--and just how many tickets are issued and how much revenue is collected from the parking on the street people? oh-never mind , they(the police) can't get through with those crummy impalas.
Sep 28, 2009 at 5:47 p.m.
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Does it come with a plow and a broadcast sander/salter?
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