LOS ANGELES COUNTY - SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT - VEHICLE TESTING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM - REPORT NUMBER 2 1973/74 VEHICLE TEST RESULTS

• NCJ Number: 15453
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 32 pages
• Corporate Author: Los Angeles Cty Sheriff's Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EVALUATION OF COMPACT, INTERMEDIATE, AND STANDARD CARS FOR USE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES.

Abstract

CARS WERE FIRST EVALUATED IN A PRELIMINARY HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE TEST. THOSE THAT PASSED THIS TEST UNDERWENT SIX OTHERS EVALUATIONS - THE INSTRUMENTED PERFORMANCE TEST, THE ECONOMY ROAD TEST, THE ERGONOMICS (SPACE MANAGEMENT) EVALUATION, A MECHANICAL EVALUATION, A HEAT TEST, AND A COMMUNICATIONS EVALUATION. THE PERFORMANCE OF SIX INTERMEDIATE CARS ARE ANALYZED INDIVIDUALLY. THESE INCLUDED THE PONTIAC VENTURA, THE CHEVROLET NOVA, THE DODGE DART, THE VOLVO 164E, THE AMC HORNET, AND THE PLYMOUTH VALIANT. THE VOLVO 164E POLICE SPECIAL SEDAN WAS JUDGED AS THE BEST GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE OF THE CARS TESTED. THE CHEVROLET NOVA WAS A VERY CLOSE SECOND. IN ADDITION, THREE IMPORTED CARS (THE MAZDA RX-4 STATION WAGON, THE DATSUN 610, AND THE TOYOTA CORONA MARK II) WERE TESTED AND EVALUATED FOR NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE USE. EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT THE LOW-BID ONLY METHOD OF PURCHASING VEHICLES USED IN THE PAST SHOULD BE REPLACED BY LOW-BID PLUS AT LEAST FOUR OF THE TEST RESULT CRITERIA, STANDARD AND INTERMEDIATE SIZE SEDANS WERE FOUND TO HAVE NO OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGE OVER PROPERLY PREPARED COMPACT SEDANS.