3/8/07

New weapon against speed: Summerton police ready to give chase
By Brian Jarvis

BRIAN JARVIS/Manning Times
Detective Steve Phillips is looking forward to catching “baddies” with the Summer-ton police department’s latest investment, a 2006 Dodge Charger.

NASCAR races, the Dukes of Hazard and the Summerton Police Department now all have something in common: a Dodge Charger.

“You have to change vehicles with the times,” said police chief Joe Addison. “So many people are used to seeing police officers in a Crown Victoria, it’s almost like criminals can profile cops. We’re trying to diversify so they never know what we may show up in.”

Sleek, jet-black and powered by a V-8 engine, the Charger produces 360 horsepower and can go from zero to 60 mph in six seconds.

Pointing out that most drug dealers and runners have fast vehicles, Addison said that he pushed for a Dodge Charger in order to level the playing field.

“It looks good,” Addison said. “It’s roomy, it’s durable, it’s police friendly. I’ve talked to other agencies that have the same car and they seem pleased with it too.”

Following approval at a recent meeting of the Public Safety Committee, the Summerton Town Council voted unanimously to pick up the tab. Total cost: around $22,000.

“It’s actually cheaper than buying another Crown Victoria,” said Addison, noting that trading in the department’s current unit, a Ford Mustang, knocked $12,500 of the Charger’s police price.

Summerton has already taken steps to purchase another Charger set to arrive in May; Addison, for one, wouldn’t mind having a whole fleet.

“We’re excited,” Addison said. “Police officers can use it when they’re on high speed chases with violent offenders and they can use it when they’re on patrol.”

Detective Steve Phillips, who plans to use the Charger both for interstate traffic and for drug intervention, said the vehicle would create public safety “in mass amounts” by slowing people down and saving lives.

“It’s an outstanding police car, better than any I’ve ever driven,” he said. “It has the smoothest-shifting transmission I’ve ever felt and it leaves no skid at all. It goes a thousand times beyond my expectations.”