Police Cars vs. Normal Cars: Unraveling the Myth

When it comes to comparing police cars with standard civilian vehicles, one often wonders if law enforcement vehicles are indeed faster than regular cars. The answer is not as straightforward as one might think. Let’s break down the factors that contribute to the performance gap, or lack thereof, between the two types of vehicles.

The Speed Myth

Many different kinds of 'normal cars' exist, but when you move past the economy box models, many cars have a higher horsepower-to-weight ratio than the typical police fleet car. This can make performance comparisons more intriguing.

Police Car Modifications

Police cars are often equipped with more powerful engines and performance enhancements compared to standard civilian vehicles, allowing them to accelerate faster and reach higher top speeds. However, the speed of a police car compared to a normal car depends on the specific models being compared.

Many police vehicles are modified versions of standard models, such as the Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Tahoe, which are designed for pursuit and emergency response. These modifications can include upgraded suspensions, brakes, and engines, providing better performance. But even with these enhancements, the actual speed can vary based on the make and model of both the police car and the civilian car in question.

Speed Governor Settings

In some cases, vehicles sold with police packages have a different setting on the speed governor. For example, the Ford Crown Victoria P-71 package did not activate the speed limiter, making these cars potentially faster than the standard Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis. Similarly, the Ford SSP (Special Service Police) Mustangs were faster than the regular Mustang GT or 5.0 LX. Some of this was due to the fact that the SSP Mustangs were all sedans and lighter than the fastbacks and convertibles, but the major reason was that the GTs and 5.0 LX models had speed limiters that kicked in and limited their speed.

Conclusion

Not all police cars are inherently faster than normal cars. In fact, many police cars are not significantly faster than civilian vehicles. Police purchased fleet cars may be purchased without the electronic speed limiter that a civilian car has in the software, but this is not a common practice. As a civilian, you can modify your car to add power and remove the speed limiter, while also making it quicker. However, police fleet vehicles are engineered for more durability and are designed to carry heavy loads and additional equipment.

Police cars also have higher capacity alternators to power all the added police equipment and emergency services, better engine, transmission, and power steering cooling capabilities (although they are often only minimally better), and thicker brake pads that last longer but do not necessarily improve braking performance. They usually have stiffer suspensions to endure curb hopping or cutting across medians as well as for carrying all the extra weight in gear. Some fleet vehicles also come with steeper gear ratios, making them a bit quicker, while others are designed for highway use and maintain the standard gear ratio of civilian cars.