MADISON

The Madison Police Department is going electric. The newest addition to the department’s fleet, a Ford Mach E, has hit the streets as the town’s first all-electric police vehicle.

According to Chief of Police Jack Drumm, the all-electric design does not offer police departments some of the features they rely on for everyday patrols; however, the vehicle’s power and reduced fuel usage are pluses for the department.

“As far as acceleration, they are quicker than a combustion car, actually…Overall, it is a great vehicle, but for police work, we still need to figure out its capabilities. The weight of our equipment, in particular the front grill, which puts a lot of weight on the vehicle, the weight of the cage, and the stand-by time at the scene limits it also,” said Drumm. “Someday, the technology will be there…I think we will get there eventually. For us, and for many law enforcement departments, we are looking at how these vehicles work in our community and how it fits best with our needs.”

Battery life is the essential factor for departments interested in going electric, said Drumm, and currently, most designs do not have a long enough battery life to be practical for police patrol use. Though the acceleration and utility of the vehicle are adequate, police vehicles are often in idle mode for extended periods, whether doing traffic duties or investigations or securing accident scenes, which drains and reduces battery life.

“Again, the capacity is obviously a problem. The equipment weight, the bumper, the cage — all diminishes the capacity of the charge. Clearly, for us, it’s going to be a limited use. The application will be softer use than front-line patrol,” Drumm said.

First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons said the vehicle will be a critical component in determining how electric vehicles are integrated in the future into the department and the town fleet as a whole.

“I’m really excited. This gives us a great opportunity to test out electric vehicles in regard to public safety,” Lyons said. “It sends a positive symbol to the community as well that we are trying to be conscious of the impact of emissions and that we want to reduce emissions as much as possible.”

Lyons added that the town’s public works and other departments would be part of understanding the capabilities of electric vehicles in other applications.

“Eventually, we will be moving more and more in that direction (into the town fleet), but obviously, these cars have to be able to fulfill their duties. There is a huge electrical load that is required for police vehicles because of all the equipment they carry inside the car, but also have a lot of administrative vehicles in our fleet. I envision departments like the assessor’s office, the building inspectors, and other departments that don’t require such heavy demands will. Those kinds of use will be easily adaptable to this.”