Click here for squad car news | Dodge Charger police cars
Welcome to Allpar's squad car section. This area is devoted to the
many Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, and DeSoto fleet cars, including squads, ambulances, and others.
The heart of this section is our three-part history of Mopar squads, which starts with the first police units and continues to the present day. We have specialty pages like the Dodge Charger section, and a growing section on fleets outside the United States.
We also have a section on postal vehicles, and we are trying to assemble one on taxis and on ambulances.
As for squads, we have former officer Curtis Redgap’s two-part article; Bill Cawthon and others briefly described what a police package is; and a former squad-car mechanic and two officers sent us a well-written page about their experiences working on and driving police cars. A squad car hobbyist sent details on owning former police cars, along with a guide on buying ex-squads. An officer of a national squad car owner’s group also provided considerable details on things to consider, including running afoul of the law, in the very basics of police car collecting: A few decisions and facts. He followed this up with a new column on police-car collecting.
There is lots of information on engines for 1967-72 and 1976 squads, and a fleet-car forum.
Current police and fleet information is now listed here with a dedicated page on the Dodge Charger squad cars (with road tests).
How good were Mopar squads?
Bill Cawthon noted that Dodge held a grip on the California
Highway Patrol longer than any other brand of vehicle.
The 1969 Polara was the fastest police car ever tested
by the CHP, until beaten by the Camaro in the 1990s, 25 years later. He wrote that, by 1958, Dodge was the sole source.
From 1958 until the 1980s, the only times a brand other than Dodge was
selected as the primary car were in 1962, when the CHP bought Chrysler Enforcers; 1967,
with Oldsmobile; and 1970, with Mercury.
For more Mopar squad information, check out Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler Police Cars 1956-1978 and 1979-1994. To send e-mail to the Webmaster, click here.
Check out the Allpar squad and fleet car forums.
We are seeking information on Mopar squad and pursuit packages. Do
you know anyone at a state or local police department who can supply us
with pictures and stories, or copies of bids and pictures of equipment? We know that Missouri, California, and Indiana used the first police pack Dodge in 1956. But not much is known about it.
Other links: Emergency Vehicle Owners and Operators Association
Police car shows coming up
It seems there aren’t many shows coming up until next summer. I’ll refresh the list when we get closer to the next show season.
Interactive
The interactive portion of this column requires that you sign up as a member of Allpar’s forums - joining our 30,000 members. Or click here if you’ve already signed up.
Other columns
Introduction | Rules & regs for restorers | The Very Basics of Police Car Collecting | Investing in police cars | Who are collectors? Why do we collect?
Emergency lighting | Sirens | Malibu restoration | Where to find retired police cars | Emergency vehicle shows
Shows: Chicagoland Emergency Vehicles Show | Aquidneck Island National Police Car Parade
Also see the EVOOA home page
