Arresting mileage: Some police departments go hybrid

You won't have to worry about a suburban squad car stealthily sliding in next to you when you're driving 85 anytime soon, but police departments begin experimenting with hybrid cars for less speed-intensive tasks.

West Dundee, and dozens of towns across the state, are introducing hybrid-electric vehicles to replace some of the gas-guzzling patrol cars of yesteryear. Toyota Camrys and Ford Escapes will supersede Ford Crown Victorias and Chevrolet Suburbans, doubling gas mileage from 17 miles per gallon to a predicted 35 in the city.

More than three dozen public safety departments across the state recently received a Department of Justice grant, administered through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, for the purchase of a law enforcement vehicle. Municipalities could apply for either a hybrid or traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.

Of the 38 municipalities that received funding, 11 of those chose a hybrid vehicle, including West Dundee, North Aurora, Round Lake Park and Oswego.

West Dundee Police Chief David Sawyer said the hybrids, which switch back and forth between a gas engine and electric motor, will help the department trim its $42,000-a-year fuel budget.

The village used its $19,130 grant to purchase a Toyota Camry from Pauly Toyota in Crystal Lake, which submitted the lowest bid.

"It depends on the officer's driving habits, but if we are downtown where the speed limit is below 30 mph and is more stop-and-go, we will save on miles," Sawyer said. "If we go out and drive faster than 30 to 35 mph, we're still going to spend less fuel than for a regular car."

As part of the grant conditions, West Dundee will complete a yearlong study to determine the effectiveness of hybrid vehicles for police use.

West Dundee will use its quieter and more efficient vehicle for investigations, surveillance and traffic control - rather than responding to emergency calls where more horsepower is needed. Besides, Sawyer said, many departments have moved away from high-speed pursuits because of the risks involved.

Cristin Monti Evans, public information officer for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, said hybrids are gaining popularity among police departments looking to save green while being green.

"Due to increasing gas prices and a fiscally uncertain future, many departments have actively pursued alternatives to traditional police vehicles," Evans said. "This grant meets the needs we had been hearing about from the law enforcement community."

Although hybrid vehicles for police use is still in its infancy, many departments anticipate carmakers will offer law enforcement-grade vehicles down the road.

"We are not looking at this like the North Aurora Police Department is going to save the world because we are using less gas," North Aurora Lt. Scott Buziecki said. "We want to check it out for the future and see if it could be viable for other uses. We are doing our part to spend funds wisely and are getting rid of a high-mileage, high-maintenance gas hog."

Most hybrid-electric vehicles, such as the Camry, employ a regenerative braking system, which uses energy caused by friction from braking and stores it in batteries for use by the car's electric motor. A hybrid vehicle will effectively switch off when at a complete stop, such as at a red light, and gradually restart when the accelerator is applied.

The Northern Illinois University Department of Public Safety has used the Toyota Prius to patrol the campus since 2004, garnering positive results.

"It has the pick-up-and-go if you need it," Lt. Curtis Young said. "Low speeds tear up the bigger engines, and with the speed limits in (DeKalb) at 30 mph and 20 on campus, the hybrid is a much better tool in our environment."

The last of the department's Ford Crown Victorias was replaced earlier this year. Now, the fleet features 10 Toyota Priuses and two Ford Escape hybrids.

Bill Finucane, the university's transportation manager, said hybrid vehicles have saved the police department more than 20,000 gallons of fuel in the past five years.

"We were getting 8 to 10 miles per gallon with the Ford Crown Vics and now we are getting over 40 miles to the gallon," Finucane said, "So, in essence, we cut our fuel costs by 75 percent."

Those cost savings - and the uncertainty of automakers - make hybrid vehicles attractive to departments, including Round Lake Park.

"With the rising costs of gasoline right now and with the auto industry being in a precarious situation, we don't know where the industry is going in terms of manufacturing public safety vehicles," Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko said. "The hybrid looks like it will probably be the future trend, and we want to be on the cutting edge of that."

The Round Lake Park Police Department will use its $24,596 grant to purchase a Ford Escape hybrid SUV. The village will submit a 25 percent match - or $8,199 - that will cover expenses related to outfitting the vehicle with special law enforcement equipment.

Filenko said the SUV will be used as a command vehicle and will require equipment like advanced weapons, an incident command board and specialized lighting.

"This will be a first responder-type vehicle," Filenko said. "We will study it under controlled conditions to see how it holds up to the 24/7, day-to-day use."