ISP adds ‘muscle car’ speed to fleet

BLACKFOOT, Idaho – Idaho State Police have started using 2007 Dodge Chargers as patrol vehicles to better keep up with speeders.

“It’s a muscle car engine,” Lt. Eric Dayley told the Idaho State Journal. “In the next couple of weeks you’ll be seeing more of these.”

Dayley unveiled the department’s new patrol vehicles Friday during the opening of the Boy Scouts Jamboral IV at the Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds.

He said the car accelerates quickly with its 5.7-liter hemi motor, which will help officers enforce highway speed limits of up to 75 mph.

“We are stopping people who are driving more than 100 mph,” Dayley said. “We had one driver that was doing 140 mph.”

He said the Chargers will eventually replace the Ford Crown Victorias the state police currently use.

Besides video systems, Dayley said, the Chargers will have computers installed. The back seats are made of molded plastic and designed to be easy to clean and prevent suspects from hiding anything.

“We want to encourage people to drive the speed limit and wear their seat belts,” he said. “This will help us do that.”