Petersburg Police Deploy New Fleet of Take-Home Patrol Vehicles With Advanced Safety Technology
The department is rolling out take-home vehicles equipped with upgraded safety features for officers
Source: CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR ↗
Petersburg, Va., police are replacing a round-the-clock hot-seat vehicle rotation with individual take-home assignments, deploying roughly 38 Ford SUVs equipped with the Police Interceptor Package, with 10 more units on order.
The vehicles carry a new graphics package that trades the department’s previous black-and-white livery for a reflective 3D design and adds LED lighting around the exterior for visibility. Three technology features are built into the package: a system that automatically raises windows when someone approaches while they are down; a siren programmed to cut off automatically when an officer shifts into park and opens the door to pursue a suspect on foot; and light bars that sync across multiple units on scene to reduce visual distraction for passing drivers.
Chief Travis Christian said the volume of this single delivery is without precedent. “To my knowledge, we have never seen this amount of vehicles at one time come into our city,” Christian said. Christian also cited the fleet as a tool for the department’s personnel pipeline. “With the equipment we’re bringing in to the department, the new fleet of vehicles, this will help with retention and recruitment,” he said. Previously, some patrol cars ran continuously. “Typically we’ve had vehicles here that turn 24 hours a day, which we consider hot seating vehicles,” Christian said.
Officer Omar Tawakali framed the take-home policy as a department-level shift. “Not just assigned, but a take home vehicle, that’s a huge stepping stone for us,” Tawakali said. “At the end of the day, we all want to get home safely and knowing our agency cares about us enough to provide us up to date equipment and features that is going to make sure we do get home safely, that speaks by itself,” he said. Officer Danielle Hamilton noted the personal value of the take-home arrangement. “A take home is something everybody wants cause then you can make it your own. You can keep it clean the way you want, so it was a big difference,” Hamilton said. She also echoed the staffing angle. “I think, especially with how many we are getting, I think it will keep some people around, for sure,” Hamilton said.
Wilson Rivera, a Petersburg business owner, said the change registered with the public as well. “Think it’s great for the city, it’s great. They needed new police cars,” Rivera said.
