Five Curious Facts About Police Cars You Probably Haven’t Heard Before

Not too many years back, patrol vehicles carried a kind of mystique — the sort of machines surrounded by rumors and half-truths. They’ve evolved a lot since then, becoming far less secretive, yet plenty of lesser-known and genuinely interesting details remain.

The “Electric Cop”

It may sound unbelievable today, but one of the very first police cars was actually electric. Officers in Akron, Ohio, put it into service in 1899. The vehicle ran on a pair of 4-horsepower electric motors and topped out at about 25 km/h (around 15 mph). That was more than enough for its main job at the time: rounding up intoxicated troublemakers. In fact, that’s exactly what the first police car was built to do.

A Street-Fight Hero

Thanks to its performance for the era, the Ford Model B is often viewed as the first true police interceptor. Introduced in 1932 and powered by a 3.6-liter V8, it quickly spawned a long list of bold variations. What makes its story even more colorful is that both police officers and gangsters of the time loved the Model B.

Muscle Cars in Uniform

Believe it or not, the compact AMC Javelin really did serve on a police fleet in 1971. It packed a 6.6-liter V8 and was used for routine patrol duty in Alabama. And that wasn’t the end of the muscle-car era in law enforcement. Departments later adopted specially prepared versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro as well.

Kevlar-Armored Doors on a Legend

The Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptor is easily one of the most recognizable — and most widely used — police cars in America. Interestingly, it wasn’t the fastest or the most powerful in the fleet. Structurally, it was closer to a truck or SUV, riding on an extremely sturdy frame. Its biggest selling point: it was remarkably affordable. Yet it still came with some surprising touches, such as Kevlar panels inside the doors, allowing officers to use an open door as a shield in a shootout.

Hard to Steal

Hollywood loves the trope of a stolen squad car — but modern police vehicles are far less vulnerable than movies suggest. Many are equipped with a system called Runlock, which keeps the engine running only if the original key is present. Try to drive off without it, and the car simply shuts itself down.

These bits of history and technology show that police cars have never been as ordinary as they look — and some of their most interesting features still fly under the radar.