The Brighton Police Dept. has received delivery of two new police cars – both of them Ford Explorers. They will be replacement vehicles for Chevrolet Tahoes.

Police Chief Rob Bradford tells WHMI that since the SUVs are slightly smaller and lighter than the truck-based Tahoes, they will get better gas mileage and have better braking and other advantages.

Since they are replacement vehicles, the police dept. will continue to have 7 patrol cars. Purchase of the new SUVs will come out of the police department’s budget. Bradford says both vehicles will have carbon monoxide detectors in them, but stresses that the police dept. has other Explorers and they’ve had no problems with them.

Some police departments around the country have reported problems with the specially equipped Explorers, which have after-market modifications that allow them to be used as police vehicles. As a result, Ford dispatched five teams of investigators around the country to help police departments which have reported exhaust fumes inside their SUVs.

Ford blames improperly installed or sealed modifications such as added emergency lights for the rash of carbon monoxide complaints associated with police SUVs. (TT)