Debut of Hybrid Patrol Car
The Swarthmore Police Department has purchased its first hybrid vehicle. Photo: Rachel Pastan
Swarthmore Borough Police Chief Raymond Stufflet says that the borough’s new police vehicle — a 2021 Ford Explorer SUV — is the first hybrid he’s ever driven. Like his officers, he’s still getting used to the car, which went into service April 1. “When you turn it on, there’s no rumble,” he notes.
The best thing about the new vehicle, according to Stufflet, is that the motor turns off when his officers — who he estimates spend about 75% of each 12-hour shift in their cars — are sitting at stop signs or doing paperwork. An in-car mobile data terminal connects to Delaware County 911 dispatchers, so the engine can’t be switched off. Stufflet reports that the department’s gas-powered police cars get 7 or 8 miles to the gallon. So far, the hybrid is getting 15.6.
The new car cost $37,200 — approximately $2,500 more than its all-gas counterpart. “We keep our cars for five years,” Stufflet says. “The hope is that the fuel cost savings will make up for the premium we paid.”
So far, only Ford, Dodge, and Chevy manufacture cars with transmissions, drive trains, and electronic components rated for police service. The “cage” — the armored back seat — is readily available only for those makes as well. Stufflet says Ford has only made a police package for a hybrid since 2020. Having an SUV is good for the department, Stufflet explains, because it has all-wheel drive, and because the officers need to carry a lot of equipment, including medical bags, road flares, key-unlocking kits, patrol rifles, and patrol shotguns.
Noting that the Morton, Springfield, Nether Providence, and Ridley police departments’ cars are still all-gas, Stufflet says he’s pleased that Swarthmore is leading the way locally with greener vehicles. “We’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint and follow along with where the borough is going,” he explains.
Stufflet speculates that Ford might have an all-electric police vehicle on the market in two or three years. “If that happens,” he says, “it’s definitely worth looking into.”
