The last of their kind in police cruisers are about to take to the city's streets.
Two Ford Crown Victoria police interceptors arrived at the Prince George RCMP detachment this week and will soon begin service, Cpl. Craig Douglass said Wednesday.
Ford discontinued the model in 2011, and the two - bearing police unit numbers PG1106 and PG1112 - are among the last four that have been outfitted for service by the RCMP in B.C.
Douglass said the Crown Victoria has been the workhorse for police forces across the continent since 1997 simply because they've been ideal for that type of use.
"The rear wheel drive made the car easier to avoid spin outs on hard maneuvers and enabled the car to withstand driving over curbs and other obstacles," Douglass said. "The 'body on frame' construction has allowed inexpensive repairs after collisions and of course the V8 engine provided the power necessary for quick responses."
From 1997 to 2013, close to 2,000 Crown Victorias have been deployed for police use in B.C. and the Prince George post garage, operated by the city, has outfitted 62 cars since its start in 2010, many of them going to the Prince George RCMP's fleet of 21 Crown Victorias.
In coming years, a version of the Ford Taurus will take its place, one that features all-wheel drive,
"which will allow better traction in our winter road conditions," Douglass said. "It will also have a V6, 3.5 litre engine, producing 280 hp, allowing speed with better fuel mileage."
The first of that model is scheduled to arrive in Prince George later this summer.
