Portland Police Bureau is debuting a new vehicle design for marked patrol units, including a different color scheme. The new design will feature improved equipment, including a stronger type of protective bumper on the front. The decal design is consistent with the current design. The first vehicles will be hitting the streets next week and they will be added in batches of between 5 and 10 vehicles per week for the next 8 weeks.
PPB has ordered 78 additional vehicles from Ford and they are currently in production. On the doors are the words “PORTLAND POLICE” and below them is the slogan “Sworn to protect. Dedicated to serve” in all white text. A red rose is featured between the words “Protect” and “Dedicated” to symbolize our service to the Rose City.
The biggest change for the 2023 model is the color. The new vehicles also have enhanced lighting and sirens. The new LED design will adapt to the ambient light, making them brighter and more visible during the day and dimmer and less blinding during the hours of darkness. PPB also has some Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles in its fleet of marked vehicles, but the vast majority will be the Ford Interceptor Utility.
“For 11 years we’ve had this blue and white design that people are used to seeing, we’re going away from the two-tone for a couple of reasons. One, the white wrapping around the doors just didn’t hold up to the rigors of police work, scuffed easily, showed damage readily… so we’re no longer doing that, just doing the all black,” said Portland Police Sergeant Kevin Allen.
The Ford Interceptor Utility is an all-wheel-drive pursuit-rated hybrid vehicle. The fuel-electric hybrid technology will allow for fuel cost savings and lower emissions. On-board electrical equipment (emergency lights, radios, and computers) can be powered using the lithium-ion hybrid battery, allowing the gasoline engine to shut off – running only intermittently to charge the battery.
