They have radios, after all...
We certainly don’t advocate running from law enforcement when you’re told to pull over, but if you do, you might want to make sure the 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder isn’t on your tail. That, or you better have a Hellcat or something hotter. The Blue Oval has been bragging out how testing done by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as well as the Michigan State Police shows the truck is quicker at 0-60 and 0-100 mph acceleration versus other law enforcement vehicle, be they trucks, SUVs, or sedans.
Watch a Charger cop car race a Hellcat Redeye in the quarter mile here.
Apparently, those law enforcement agencies even tested the police cars on the quarter mile, something you don’t see every day. What confuses us is the old adage that police can outrun you with radios so they don’t need quick cars and how that squares with these types of tests. Thankfully, Ford is here to add clarity.
“Vehicle acceleration and speed contribute to how quickly first responders can safely arrive at an emergency scene,” said Greg Ebel, Ford police vehicle brand manager. “Shaving even a few seconds off response times can make a big difference. Whether responding to an accident on the highway or a distress call from somewhere off-road, law enforcement officers can count on 2021 F-150 Police Responder to get them there fast.”
Now do you get it? Police need to speed to get to emergency scenes and to chase down cretins having fun at car meets. Plus, having a truck means they can go bust people in Jeeps who try to flee on dirt roads.
Before you start wishing you had this police truck, keep in mind it’s really not that quick. Michigan State Police tests show it does 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. That is 1.2 seconds quicker than the old Ford police truck, but it’s not exactly blisteringly quick by today’s standards. Plus, the thing tops out at 120 mph, which explains why Hellcats get away. Just remember, the police radio is even quicker.
