When driving thru Florida, you may want to keep an eye out for a Black Z28
coming up on your bumper......
Thanks to Allan Albee of Worldwide Camaro Association for sending me the
following article and picture.....
FHP Troopers Get New Camaros
Camaros Can Hit 100 MPH In 14 Seconds
Posted: 2:13 p.m. EDT April 15, 2002
Updated: 2:31 p.m. EDT April 15, 2002
PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- That's not "Magnum P.I.'' or a "Miami Vice'' detective in
the sleek sports car, but the comparison isn't lost on the state trooper behind
the wheel.
Dale Whiddon is one of the first Florida Highway Patrol troopers driving the
department's new 200 Chevrolet Camaros.
"It's a fun vehicle, but you still have to be an example to the public,'' said
Whiddon, who got his Camaro on Friday. "It's not for joyrides.''
Troopers haven't had much fun since the mid-1990s when the patrol's final Ford
Mustang, another muscle car that went into service as a cruiser in the 1980s,
was retired.
Each black and cream Camaro costs $23,000, about $2,000 more than a full-size
Ford Crown Victoria, the standard cruiser, but it has better performance and
resale value, said FHP Lt. Tommy Moore.
The Camaro has a 5.7-liter engine that churns out 310 horsepower and can reach
nearly 160 mph. Camaros can hit 100 mph in just under 14 seconds, or 10 seconds
quicker than Crown Victorias, in tests by Michigan State Police.
That should mean shorter and safer pursuits, Moore said over the weekend.
"Let's say I clock somebody going 100 mph,'' he said. "By the time I slow down
and turn around in the median, that driver is a mile down the road and they're
not slowing down. Now, I have to overtake them.''
The patrol isn't getting rid of the Crown Victorias, which are better for
carrying prisoners or other passengers.
Besides, the Camaro is destined for a short career with the patrol because 2002
is its last year in production. The patrol normally trades a cruiser after
65,000 to 75,000 miles.
Moore said the Camaros look as fast as they are, making them a deterrent to
drivers who might have tried to outrun a standard cruiser. In Pensacola,
Escambia County sheriff's deputies, who have nine Camaros in their traffic
division, can vouch for their effectiveness in stopping speeders.
"We're on them before they can even think about running,'' said sheriff's Sgt.
Alan Barton. "A lot of times we'll see them just pull right over.''
Another advantage is public relations, Moore said.
"I think most people like the new look,'' Moore said. "Dale's hand is probably
about to fall off from all the waving he's been doing.''
Then there's the morale factor.
"I feel good about it,'' Whiddon said. "It sure breaks up the monotony of
patrol.''
quote:
Originally posted by HTWLSS:
We have a '99 B4C car here at the County building that belongs to the State Patrol. It's a 6-speed! To the officer that drives it, it's just another patrol car.
