Cops will love Ford’s F-150 Police Responder pickup
First police pursuit-rated truck gives the boys in blue a leg-up off-road and more space.
Ford has given law enforcement a way to save fuel with the Police Responder Hybrid Sedan, and to better blend with traffic to catch speeders with slim-profile LED visor light bars on the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility. Now Ford is also giving the boys in blue a more rugged, off-road-worthy 2018 F-150 Police Responder.
The first pursuit-rated pickup is based on the F-150 FX4 off-road model powered by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Together, they give the F-150 Police Responder a 7,000-pound tow capacity.
Brake, wheel and tire upgrades further toughen the F-150 for police work.
To further toughen the truck for rigorous police work, Ford upgraded the brakes, front sway bar, 18-inch aluminum wheels and all-terrain tires. Skid plates are also installed on the underbody to shield from curbs, parking blocks and rough terrain.
More juice for all the necessary onboard electronics comes from a 240-amp alternator, while law enforcement-preferred touches like a column shifter and slim-bolstered front seats for easier ingress and egress are included.
With the SuperCrew body, the pickup features the most passenger volume among all pursuit-rated police vehicle available today. The good guys in front get to enjoy heavy-duty cloth seats with anti-stab plates, while the bad guys in back are treated to vinyl seats and flooring that make for easy cleanup.
Ford sees the truck giving departments the option to comfortably seat five on road, while also giving organizations such as sheriff's departments, Department of Natural Resources and border patrol a vehicle suitable for off-road patrols in more rural settings.
Ford hasn't announced when the new pickups will begin landing at your local police departments and other government agencies, but let's just hope the first time you see one in person isn't in your rearview mirror with its lights flashing.