Salt Lake City's new police cars are 'not suitable for patrol,' officers say

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — “THIS IS NOT A SUITABLE PATROL VEHICLE,” a Salt Lake City Police officer wrote in all caps.

The 15-year veteran of the department sent an email summing up his experience testing out the new Ford Fusion Responder hybrid sedan on patrol in Utah’s capital city.

“These cars are so small and compact that I do not believe that we can safely put a prisoner in the cage without it bordering cruel and unusual punishment,” the officer continued.

Several officers who tested out the car warned Salt Lake City leaders that the Responder hybrid sedan did not meet their needs, saying the car is "a liability," "not designed for police work," and "a danger to anyone that may need a police response."

The city bought 110 of them.

“I do hope people give these vehicles a chance and I think they will work for the police department,” said Patrick Leary, the chief of staff to Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski.

The Mayor’s Office has a sustainability goal of transitioning the city’s fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles wherever possible. This goal was top of mind earlier this year, when the city began discussions on how to spend $4 million that was allocated to replace old police cruisers.

In January, the mayor instructed the city’s fleet committee to only purchase new Ford hybrid police Responder sedans "unless the Chief can justify needing the SUVs," according to emails obtained by 2News.

That prompted a months-long exchange between the police department and city hall about which car officers should have for patrol duties.

The Salt Lake City Police administration responded that the hybrid sedans were a good car for detectives and other officers who are not on daily patrols. However, Assistant Chief Tim Doubt wrote in a February email to the fleet committee, that the department would like hybrid SUVs for patrol officers.

“We will be doing our part for the pollution problem while considering patrol officer ergonomics. Cost will be increased for the hybrid SUV, but it best meets our operational needs,” Doubt said.

The city has been purchasing SUVs for several years. Doubt told the city’s fleet committee that officers have given very favorable feedback to the Ford Explorer SUV patrol car, and now Ford is offering a hybrid version of that vehicle — it seemed like a perfect fit.

But there was push-back.

“As we thought; I find it odd that the department has done fine with sedans for years, and suddenly now thinks SUVs should be used for patrol. I think we need to have the Mayor question this in detail, as it will make a significant budget and emissions difference,” said Vicki Bennett, sustainability director for Salt Lake City, in a February email.

By March, the back-and-forth over whether the city would purchase a hybrid SUV or a hybrid sedan had not slowed down.

Chief Mike Brown sent a letter to city hall outlining six reasons why the police needed SUVs.

Despite the documented recommendations from Chief Brown, Assistant Chief Doubt, and Captain Scott Teerlink, the city ordered 110 Responder hybrid sedans.

“The question really isn’t SUV or Responder sedans, the question is, 'What is the proper vehicle that we can get the most amount of money that’s on the market today that will meet our goal of sustainability?'" Leary, the mayor's chief of staff, told 2News.

The city's decision to not purchase SUVs has not sat well with the rank and file.

"Multiple officers have expressed concerns for their own safety in the event of an accident because of the positioning in the car. Several have also expressed that the Mayor is creating a hostile workplace by compelling officers to work in unfriendly and unsafe conditions due to what they see as an obvious lack of concern for their welfare in being forced to use the vehicle," said a Salt Lake City patrol supervisor, whose name was redacted in records given to 2News.

Other emails from patrol officers expressed similar frustrations.

It makes no sense not to have an all- wheel drive vehicle.

I would not recommend this vehicle for a police patrol vehicle.

The extremely small interior is unsafe for officer and prisoners. Injuries will happen. Civil litigation will follow.

Knowing the hybrids were being forced upon officers had a negative impact on morale.

It can be made to work but there will be consequences in forcing the wrong tool into service.

In response to the negative feedback from the patrol officers, Leary said the department can choose to put the cars in functions other than patrol.

“The decision about where to use the cars will be the chief’s decision," Leary said.

The city's fleet division told 2News that the current plan is for 46 of the 110 Responder hybrid sedans to be assigned to the patrol division.

But that will not solve the city's patrol car crisis. Records obtained by 2News show that dozens of patrol officers are driving cars that are more than a decade old, some with more than 150,000 miles.

“Our cars are literally falling apart," Chief Brown told 2News. “We’re dumping $3,000 to $5,000 of repairs yearly to these cars that are worth $500 scrap."

Brown, who had recommended the city purchase SUVs for patrol officers, says he is just glad the city is investing in police cruisers.

“The [Responder hybrid sedan] doesn’t have to be throughout the department. There are different assignments that don’t need [an SUV],” he said.

Brown says the problem of aging police cars is nothing new for the Salt Lake City Police. The city had a cycle to keep patrol cars in service for 10 years, and are now working to bring that down to five.

"We need cars, we’ve needed cars for decades,” Brown said. "We’re excited to get them, we will put them in assignments that benefit not only the work we do, but the citizens we serve and the air we breathe."

Brown is accountable both to city hall and the officers of his department — a tough spot to be with this issue. Moving forward, Brown will have to work with the new city administration about what car the city's patrol officers will drive — which may mean the city shells out more money per car to buy a hybrid SUV.

“I really think the right side of history is to have police hybrid models," Brown said.