Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 issue

Fall 2021 Vol. 19, No. 3

LEATHERBACK GEAR CONVERT A BACKPACK INTO A BULLETPROOF VEST

https://hendonpub.com/police-fleet-manager-magazine/

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JOIN US ON:

PAGE 6

RECAP & NEW PRODUCTS FROM PFE 2021

POLICE FLEET EXPO RICHMOND, VA 2021 

PAGE 16, 24

PROFILES PFM GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH FLEET MANAGERS ACROSS THE  PAGE 10 COUNTRY

FOCUS STOPAMBUSH MOTION SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE VEHICLES 

FEATURE  PAGE 38 HAAS ALERT: IMPROVING MOVE OVER COMPLIANCE TO REDUCE STRUCK-BY LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS

SPECIAL REPORT  PAGE BALLISTIC PANEL/ ARMORED VEHICLE OPTIONS FOR TODAY’S www.pfmmag.com 1 POLICE VEHICLES

PAGE 42 46

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CONTENTS

Fall 2021 I Vol. 19, No. 3 PFE ‘21/Ride and Drive photos by Meghan McDade

PFE 2021 RECAP

16

16 RECAP & NEW PRODUCTS

The 17th annual Police Fleet Expo was back in full swing after a two-year hiatus due to COVID19. This year, the host city of Richmond, VA welcomed the attendees to the Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC). The downtown Richmond Marriott located directly across the street provided a beautiful venue as the host hotel. Even with all the issues around travel and training, PFE welcomed just under 600 attendees to this year’s event. Here is a Recap of the PFE 2021 and some of the many new products introduced at the show by the most trusted police vehicle manufacturing, systems and accessories in the North America.

By Brad Brewer

4

38

10

ADVERTISER INDEX

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

6 LEATHERBACK GEAR… CONVERT A BACKPACK INTO A BULLETPROOF VEST

Leatherback Gear has turned the backpack into a personal reactionary tool to a life-threatening problem called an active shooting. It provides front and back protection that goes wherever you go, ready for whatever comes your way.

By Brad Brewer

46 42 FEATURE

SPECIAL REPORT

HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud® service to deliver digital alerts to approaching drivers.

Real-time awareness isn’t enough to notify drivers,they need advanced notification, and that’s where Safety Cloud comes in.

By Jim Kerry

There are numerous vendors that supply armor vehicles and armor vehicle panels to law enforcement and the military. All three police vehicle OEMs offer some type of ballistic door panels as an option when ordering their vehicles, or as a factory-authorized option. Several aftermarket suppliers also offer retro-fit packages to add in vehicle door armor.

By Brad Brewer

PFM PROFILES

38 HAAS ALERT: IMPROVING MOVE OVER COMPLIANCE TO REDUCE STRUCK-BY LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS

Police Fleet Manager talked to several fleet managers about how their jobs have changed over the past few years and the topics they are most concerned about.

By PFM Staff

FOCUS

10 ONE-ON-ONE WITH FLEET MANAGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

42 STOPAMBUSH MOTION SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE VEHICLES

The unit has the potential to keep officers from harm’s way. This device uses red arrows and beeping sounds to grab the officer’s attention. You could have six people approaching you from six different directions, and you will have six arrows alerting you.

By Kloee Ciuperger

46 BALLISTIC PANEL/ARMORED VEHICLE OPTIONS FOR TODAY’S POLICE VEHICLES

www.pfmmag.com Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 3

ADVERTISER INDEX INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Company

Page

Website

Boss StrongBox

49

www.bossstrongbox.com

CO-PUBLISHERS Henry Kingwill and Peter Kingwill

Cap Fleet

33

www.capfleet.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Henry Kingwill henry@hendonpub.com ph: 224-458-1121

Centric

21

www.centricparts.com

Feniex Industries

25

www.build.feniex.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jennifer Gavigan, Brad Brewer, Yesenia Duran

General Tire

7

www.generaltire.com

GFX Law

9

www.gfxlaw.com

Goodyear

19

www.gov.goodyear.com

Haas Alert

41

haasalert.com/law-enforcement

ARTICLE SUMMARY SR. GRAPHIC DESIGNER Carl Walanski Article summary goes here. cwalanski@hendonpub.com summary goes here. Article

Article summary PRODUCTION goes here. Article summary goes here.

Kirk Moen Article summary goes here.

kmoen@hendonpub.com Mobile: 608-770-6364 FURTHER Ph: 224-458-1124RESEARCH

Hendon Media Group

14,50

https://hendonpub.com/police-fleet-manager-magazine/

http://star1889.com/svp.htm TRADE SHOW DIRECTOR

iPRO

31

www.publicsafety.i-pro.com

Lisa McDade lmcdade@hendonpub.com Ph: 224-458-1123

John Jones Auto Group

29

www.policepursuitvehicles.com

Author info goes here. Author info goes here.

Jotto Desk PFM ADVERTISING PFE BOOTH SALES Kirk Moen – National Director kmoen@hendonpub.com Mobile: 608-770-6364 Ph: 224-458-1124 FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS CALL 847-444-3300 or e-mail: pfmmag@gmail.com POLICE FLEET MANAGER is published bimonthly by Hendon Media Group, 130 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, IL 60015 (847) 444-3300. POSTMASTER, send change of address to Police Fleet Manager, 130 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, IL 60015. Subscribers send address changes to Police Fleet Manager, 130 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, IL 60015. For subscription information only, call (847) 444-3300. This entire issue is copyrighted by Hendon Media Group.

5

jottopublicsafety.com

Kussmaul Electronics

37

www.kussmaul.com

OPS Public Safety

27

www.opspublicsafety.com

The new STAR LASER is a modular, low profile, full-size lightbar.

Raybestos

Setina Manufacturing

11 2

www.raybestos.com www.setina.com

SoundOff Signal

15

www.soundoffsignal.com

Tufloc

35

www.tufloc.com

Waytek

13

www.waytekwire.com/unity

POLICE FLEET MANAGER SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION CHANGES Please Recycle This Magazine.

Remove inserts before recycling.

4 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

Post your comments on this story For any subscription changes by visiting www.pfmmag.com please e-mail us at pfmmag@gmail.com

You take every available precaution to secure your patrol vehicle; firearms in the gun rack, locking equipment and doors. The inconvenient truth is that the criminal element has time on their side to bypass these precautions.

Jotto Desk is excited to introduce the Defend IR Security System. The first Security Solution against patrol vehicle break-ins. The Defend IR Monitors the interior of your vehicle utilizing an infrared sensor when armed. When a change is detected, the Defend IR activates the lights and siren of the patrol vehicle, alerting everyone nearby and scaring off a potential thief.

Check it out at jottopublicsafety.com

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

LEATHERBACK GEAR… CONVERT A BACKPACK INTO A BULLETPROOF VEST

BY BRAD BREWER WWW.LEATHERBACKGEAR.COM

T

he world we live in has changed and personal safety has never been more on people’s minds.

Everyone now carries a backpack of some sort with the sole purpose to carry and protect important things. But now, thanks to Leatherback Gear, the backpack has found its most important purpose yet: protecting you or your loved ones.

Leatherback Gear offers one of the world’s safest backpacks that converts into a bulletproof protective vest…in less than five seconds.

By hiding armor within something that people are already used to carrying everywhere, Leatherback Gear has turned the backpack into a personal reactionary tool to a life-threatening problem called an active shooting. It provides front and back protection that goes wherever you go, ready for whatever comes your way. Leatherback Gear comes standard with two Level IIIA panels but offers options to customize with Level III and Level IV. Leatherback Gear is a line of carry products that offers ballistic protection, while maintaining a stylish appearance, without being obviously built for ballistic protection. Created, designed, and patented by a former US Secret Service Agent, who saw the need to hide armor in an everyday item to protect people caught in these tragedies, these high-quality backpacks are extremely well designed with laptop com-

6 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

partments, small electronic pouches, and custom-sized accessory slots.

This includes a felt-lined sunglass holder pocket and front organizer for pens, pencils, and more. There are also several covert hidden pockets for specialized equipment, if required.

The shoulder straps, with integrated detachable straps, transform into two makeshift tourniquets. These straps have the ability to be attached together to form a drag strap or door stop. The RFID protective lining, in a hidden pocket, protects the user’s identity cards, passports, credit cards, and can also hide valuable information from potentially being scanned or downloaded by electronic countermeasures.

They use a water-resistant nylon material that is tear-resistant along with larger heavy-duty zippers that are covered with fabric protection.

They come standard with two bulletproof soft armor panels, with NIJ threat-level protection IIIA that are discreet and securely housed. This was a key design feature that was important to the inventor to mimic the protection worn by the US Secret Service Agents. The heavy-duty internal Velcro and nylon straps are all part of the safety system that is clearly marked and identifiable for any user under stress to convert the backpack into lifesaving ballistic protection. The top-mounted handle is reinforced to 300 pounds.

Leatherback Gear comes in four models: Tactical One, Civilian One, Sport One, and Sport One Jr. The primary difference is appear-

This ultra-high performance all-season tire is designed for law enforcement fleets and high-speed pursuit applications.

UTQG: SIZES

TREAD WEAR: TRACTION: TEMPERATURE: WIDTH ASPECT RATIO RIM DIAMETER UTQG

METRIC SIZES 225 to 265440 6

50 to 60

AA

16" to 18"

Size

Service Description

Load Range

225/60R16

98V

SL

225/60ZR18

100W

SL

Dodge Charger PPV 2011 and later

235/50ZR18

101W

XL

Chevy Caprice PPV 2011 and later

235/55ZR17

99W

SL

Chevy Impala Police; Ford Crown Victoria Inteceptor 2006 and later

245/55R18

103V

SL

Ford Police Inteceptor Sedan & Utility

265/60R17

108V

SL

Chevy Tahoe PPV 2017 and later

Vehicle Fitments Chevy Impala Police; Ford Crown Victoria Inteceptor '98 - 2002

* Based on internal test results compared to the Goodyear Eagle RS-A® in the size P235/55R17 98W.

On road results may vary.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL: ALEX LAIR @ (704) 587- 6589

A 440 AA A

W W W.GENER ALTIRE.COM

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

LEATHERBACK GEAR… CONVERT A BACKPACK INTO A BULLETPROOF VEST

[CONTINUED...]

BY BRAD BREWER WWW.LEATHERBACKGEAR.COM

ance. Civilian One has a more streamlined and subtle appearance, blending in for everyday use at school, work, or during travel. Tactical One has more aggressive military appearance but both offer the same NIJ Ballistic Level IIIA protection. Sport One is a perfect everyday carry-anywhere backpack from the gym to school, while the Sport One Jr. is a slightly smaller version of the Sport One and was designed with school-aged children in mind. Tactical One comes in three colors, including black, gray, and tan while the Civilian One, Sport One and Sport One Jr., come in two colors, black and wolf gray.

8 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

There are no issues travelling with ballistic panels in your backpack, especially for someone in Law Enforcement or Military. Body armor is legal in all 50 states for law-abiding citizens. The warranty is five years on both the ballistic panels and the workmanship of the backpack itself.

User feedback has been very positive, with many saying it is one of the most comfortable backpacks they have ever worn. The Tactical One model was tested by US Customs and Border Protection, and they concluded the overall graded performance of this backpack is very good based on current cost versus benefit analysis, a great value for the cost (not to mention they are a customer).

For more information (including pricing), visit www.leatherbackgear.com.

Sergeant Brad Brewer is a 30-year member of the Vancouver Police Department. He was an eight-year member of the Ford Police Advisory Board and regularly gives presentations at law enforcement conferences on mobile computing, wireless technology and police vehicle ergonomics.

He can be reached at sgt1411@gmail.com.

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PFM Goes One-on-One with Fleet Managers Across the Country

POLICE FLEET MANAGER GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH FLEET MANAGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PFM FALL 2021

BY POLICE FLEET MANAGER STAFF

P

olice vehicles are integral to law enforcement agencies operating efficiently and effectively. Officers spend a lot of time in their patrol cars, and they have become a mobile office in many respects. Managing these fleets is a major responsibility, regardless if an agency is small or large. Although terrain and weather conditions might impact the wear and tear on police vehicles, there are several other issues that can affect any department’s fleet, whether it is located on the East Coast, West Coast, or in the Midwest. After a successful Police Fleet Expo 2021, Police Fleet Manager talked to more fleet managers about how their jobs have changed over the past several years and the topics they are most concerned about.

A: Pretty much the list you gave as examples and in the order you have them in: Manufacturer reps who call or visit the department Trade Shows (like PFE) Trade Magazines (like PFM) Email Solicitation (notices in your email about a new product) Mail (postcards, flyers) Colleagues (other Fleet Managers) Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency?

A: I do, I review the vehicles in the fleet and present our needs to my chain of command. Then based on our budget, we may adjust the number of vehicles that get replaced each year.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

Dave Henrichs Fleet Administrator Sarasota County, FL Sheriff’s Office Question: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?

Answer: I have been a fleet manager for 14 years. I have been with the agency for more than 38 years.

Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?

A: Overseeing the purchasing of vehicles, emergency equipment, vehicle parts, fuel, and more.

Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night,” what would they be?

A: Currently, it is the lack of vehicle availability due to the microchip shortage.

Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?

A: Yes, I have been attending since it started, with the exception of the last two years due to the pandemic. It is an excellent conference/expo.

Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, and new products in the market?

10 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions in your agency regarding the following items: Vehicles Radios Body Cameras Rugged Laptops or other items for the vehicle Lightbars and other exterior equipment for the vehicle A: I do, for most everything vehicle and equipment related.

Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?

A: Yes, it has been challenging for a lot of various parts.

Q: Is hiring good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments a problem? Do you have several vacancies?

A: Currently, we have a full staff. But yes, it can be difficult to find qualified staff. We hired both an automotive technician and an emergency equipment installer last year. It was difficult to fill both positions with a qualified person.

Q: Are the costs of maintaining a fleet of vehicles coming in higher than other years or about the same?

A: Yes, everything has gone up, the lack of supply versus demand.

Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today? Is it making your job easier or more complicated?

A: A little of both; we are very fortunate to have a very qualified, great, smart group of people that take a lot of pride in their jobs.

CY

CMY

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PROFILES PFM Goes One-on-One with Fleet Managers Across the Country

David Milligan Fleet Manager City of Durham, NC Police Department Question: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?

Answer: I have been a Police Fleet Manager for 10 years, and I have been a Tech in Automotive Electronics for 41 years.

Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?

A: Vehicle assignments/inventory, purchase and replacement, equipment specifications and oversight of installations and service/repairs, department accident review board.

Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night,” what would they be?

A: Vehicle availability Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?

A: Yes, I have attended several PFEs. It is a good opportunity to view current technology and innovations in our industry.

Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, new products in the market? Include all that apply.

A: All of the below: Manufacturer Reps who call or visit the department Trade Shows (like PFE) Trade Magazines (like PFM) Email Solicitation (notices in your email about a new product) Mail (postcards, flyers) Colleagues (other Fleet Managers) Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency? Include all that apply.

A: Myself with coordination among other individuals.

Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions, in your agency, regarding the following items: Vehicles Radios Body Cameras Rugged Laptops or other items for the vehicle Lightbars and other exterior equipment for the vehicle A: Myself Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?

A: New vehicles and upfitting equipment have been noticeably slower, close to 12 months in some cases.

Q: Is hiring, good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments a problem? Do you have several vacancies?

12 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

A: We have been understaffed for years. Our shop is responsible for over 550 vehicles with only two techs and myself.

Q: Are the costs of maintaining a police fleet (or fleet of vehicles) coming in higher than other years or about the same?

A: We allow 5 percent cost growth per year as a general rule.

Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today…is it making your job easier or more complicated?

A: No significant change in our approach for vehicles and outfitting.

Hybrids and electric vehicles are now finding their way into our builds and we have adapted well.

Matt Foscue US Border Patrol Academy Fleet Artesia, NM Question: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?

Answer: 2 years – I am a law enforcement agent who started assisting with fleet at the training academy then took over primary responsibility.

Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?

A: Planning, directing and managing a 435-vehicle fleet along with an additional 200+ ATVs, UTVs, and trailers. Tracking, verifying, and budgeting for fleet maintenance and repairs.

Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night,” what would they be?

A: Ongoing, largescale issues – such as rapidly aging vehicles that are difficult to replace. The myriad “little” tasks that seem like death by a thousand cuts will often jolt me awake in the early morning – “did I do that yet?” kind of stuff.

Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?

A: I have only been this one time. My experience was good in that I was able to meet with several product and industry representatives and discuss issues unique to our fleet. Face-to-face meetings away from computers can be an incredibly productive exchange of ideas. Computer, phone, and emails are often focused on a specific issue. The chance to banter in an environment without time pressure generates new ideas and resolutions.

Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, new products in the market? Include all that apply.

A: Manufacturer reps who call or visit the department, which is rare, but extremely beneficial. UNICOR representatives visited, and we gave them a driving demo and a new vehicle product was developed as a result. As far as the following: Trade Shows (like PFE): occasional – one to two a year Trade Magazines (like PFM): none

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PROFILES PFM Goes One-on-One with Fleet Managers Across the Country

Email Solicitation (notices in your email about a new product): mostly disregarded Mail (postcards, flyers): do not receive mail Colleagues (other Fleet Managers): most valuable resource, I reach out to others with more experience frequently Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency? Include all that apply.

A: Vehicle purchases are conducted using established agency protocols.

Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions, in your agency, regarding the following items: Vehicles Radios Body Cameras Rugged Laptops or other items for the vehicle Lightbars and other exterior equipment for the vehicle: A: Same as above, purchase decisions are conducted using established agency protocols.

Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?

A: Yes. We are still waiting on vehicles ordered in 2019.

Q: Is hiring, good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments a problem? Do you have several vacancies?

A: Yes, we are in a rural area with a healthy economy. I do not do hiring, but it is a constant issue attracting good people to a rural area.

Q: Are the costs of maintaining a police fleet (or fleet of vehicles) coming in higher than other years or about the same?

A: With only two years of experience, I cannot comment on that.

Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today…is it making your job easier or more complicated?

A: The new technology is making the job easier for most, but the fleet managers have more work. While it is incredibly convenient to refer to your computer for updated vehicle information, there are more databases to maintain and more electronics issues to deal with. Telematics, for instance, completely relieved operators/drivers of tracking fuel expenses and reporting mileage, but it has shifted monitoring and tracking telematics problems to the fleet managers. Additionally, as more data becomes available, there are more requirements for fleet managers to provide that data in a palatable form to satisfy increasing policy requirements

2022

TBA

STAND BY FOR MORE INFORMATION, ANNOUCEMENTS, UPDATES & REGISTRATION FOR PFE 2022!

14 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

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RECAP

Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

POLICE FLEET EXPO RICHMOND, VA RECAP

BY BRAD BREWER

T

he 17th annual Police Fleet Expo was back in full swing after a two-year hiatus due to COVID19. This year, the host city of Richmond, VA welcomed the attendees to the Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC). The downtown Richmond Marriott located directly across the street provided a beautiful venue as the host hotel. Even with all the issues around travel and training, PFE welcomed just under 600 attendees to this year’s event.

Richmond is known for many things, such as the amazing views of the city from the James River, the rich history, the local cuisine, and the growing job market. The city was ranked at number 24 on the top 25 best places to live in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report. The GRCC is situated within a 500-mile radius of more than half of the U.S. population. The Richmond region is considered a

“We were all fired up to be back together with everyone at PFE this year! The value of introducing new products face-to-face versus remotely is immeasurable.”

– CURT HATTON, SENIOR VP SALES & MARKETING JOTTO DESK | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

16 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

drive-to market along Interstate 95 but also is easily accessible by bus, rail, and the Richmond International Airport, which is a 10-minute drive from downtown. With 178,158 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 30,550-square-foot Grand Ballroom, and 50,000 square feet of additional meeting/banquet space, the GRCC was wellpositioned to host a variety of sessions from this year’s PFE, including the always-popular PFE Trade Show Exhibit Hall.

Like every year, PFE attracts Police Fleet Managers, Fleet Directors, Police Chiefs, frontline officers, and others responsible for the purchase of police vehicles and the many upfit accessories that go on and in today’s law enforcement vehicles.

Goodyear has been exhibiting at Police Fleet Expo for over a decade and we have always been impressed with the quality of the sessions, the effectiveness of the trade show and the excitement of the Ride and Drive.

This year’s show provided an excellent opportunity for our engineers and sales teams to interact directly with members of the law enforcement community and OEMs.” – MAYLON CARROLL, CHANNEL MANAGER/GOV’T SALES GOODYEAR TIRE | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

“This was our first time exhibiting at Police Fleet Expo and we’ll be back! Our booth traffic was consistent, and we gained several new, very large customers. The attendees and exhibitors were all busy the entire time…making connections for future purchases.”

– KIM AMSALEM, PRESIDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNS INTERNATIONAL LLC | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

PFE 2021 saw several changes and many new things, including the new electronic registration program. Introduced at the 2019 Savannah show, attendees no longer stand in line and wait to sign up. The electronic registration program takes your pre-registration information (or your on-site registration information) and within a few quick minutes, produces your badge, which can be scanned with an iPhone in a vendor’s booth. PFE also continued using the Bizzabo show app, which is the best way to stay current with any updates or last-minute program or room changes, throughout the entire event.

Three days of vital training sessions with more than 40 percent new content rounded out the educational component. These sessions are specifically designed for fleet managers and range from the basic Fleet Management 101 for those new in their position, to the more advanced sessions dealing with today’s challenging issues facing all fleet managers across North America. The training session topics come directly from feedback provided by attendees, so please make sure you let the PFE staff know what sessions need to be included in future shows.

The pent-up demand for training was noticeable at this year’s event with many sessions standing-room only. Mr. Scott Coy, President, Emergency Vehicle Conversions, spoke passionately at his session “Upfitting Tips and Tricks.” Coy explained various methods and techniques he has deployed at his shop and the packed room enjoyed a very informative back-and-forth session on these tricks of the trade.

One of the most iconic and most attended sessions was the Tire Forensics session put on by the always-entertaining TJ Tennant, President, The TyreGuy. TJ has a unique and colorful way of getting down to the importance of tires when managing a fleet and his “no holes barred” discussions are a favorite each year. The remainder of the sessions focused on everyday issues that fleet managers are regularly dealing with such as the constant advancements in technology, both within the vehicles themselves and the aftermarket upfitting challenges, as these vehicles get more complex.

To ensure everyone got a chance to make it around the 100-plus exhibitors, the trade show floor was open for two days, totaling eight hours. Practically every company that makes a product for public safety vehicles was exhibiting and attendees could see, firsthand, how these products are fully integrated with new police vehicles. PFE is one of the most extensive trade shows in the law enforcement market, and what makes it unique is the product displays and how approachable the vendors are to frontline fleet manager issues. It is not uncommon to walk up to a vendor’s booth and get an issue you have had for months completely resolved in minutes, just by speaking to the right people, face-to-face.

The vendors also value the direct feedback from frontline users of the product, good or bad, and it is all done in an effort to make their product the best it can be to enhance the safety and productivity of police officers.

The Ride & Drive Track Event was unique this year, situated on the

“Joanne Cornier and I have been exhibitors at PFE since the beginning and we would not miss this conference…it is the best conference, designed for police fleets! Every year, there are more attendees that are qualified to either make decisions or they are able to report to decision-makers when they return. This show gets better and better every year.”

– BOB CROWE, SR MANAGER-GOV’T FLEET SALES & LEASING DOERING FLEET MANAGEMENT | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 17

RECAP Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

“Being a first-time exhibitor, we couldn’t have asked for a better staff and a better event to help showcase our new line of emergency lighting platforms. Thanks to all who were involved in a very successful Police Fleet Expo.

Hope to be back next year!”

– TROY RUSSELL, SALES/MARKETING MANAGER ACARI FLEET SOLUTIONS | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

property of the Virginia State Police (VSP) Training Complex located about an hour north of the GRCC in Blackstone, VA. This very impressive driver training facility is one of the largest in the country at just under two miles in length and the envy of most law enforcement agencies. The VSP Driver Training staff under the direction of Sgt. Jeff Hanna were on site at all times and were gracious hosts at this state-of-the-art facility.

Upon arrival, attendees could visit with multiple vendors as part of the track mini expo, as they made their way to test-drive the latest police vehicles from GM Fleet, Dodge Law, and Ford Fleet. Let’s face facts, all three manufacturers make excellent law enforcement products, and there was no better track to test them on.

What’s critical for both Fleet Managers and officers is seat time driving all of these purpose-built vehicles on the same track, one after another, and deciding which ones fit their requirements the best. The Ride & Drive Event is not about how fast you can rip around the course, but it tries to provide an average driving condition in real-world applications, allowing a fair comparison between each of the three manufacturers’ products.

The higher-speed road course was set with EVOC testing in mind, which included full stops, chicanes, hard turns, off-camber high-speed turning, and more. Each driver was accompanied by a factory rep that answered any questions about vehicle behavior or characteristics. Along with the road course, there was an off-road course, a one-mile dirt course with off-camber turns, elevation changes, drops, pot holes, and ruts, which gave attendees the opportunity to take each of the manufacturers’ trucks through their paces and see exactly how each performed.

New this year at the track event was a standalone course set up and

put on by Firestone/Bridgestone tire. Firestone has engineered a new all-weather tire that in their opinion is superior in high-speed wet traction situations against their competitors. VSP supplied six vehicles and these vehicles were set up with half of them running new Firestone “FireHawk” tires and then other half of the vehicles were set up with the OEM stock tires. Each attendee was permitted to drive the same vehicle type with two different sets of tires through a high-speed water soaked course and make up their own mind if they felt a difference in tire performance. Many who took part in this tire demo course said it was a major eye opener for them as they had never previously been able to compare tires side by side in this unique circumstance. If the all-day lineup was any indication, this event was very popular.

The weather was hot and humid, so a very special thank-you to Magnetic Mics for supplying those ice-cold water stations throughout the track area. The outdoor tent provided some well-needed shade as attendees were welcomed with a delicious lunch provided by PFE and Setina.

Overall, a really great day at the track and the Virginia State Police Driver Training staff deserve a big thank-you for their hospitality, as it is rare that they open this exclusive facility to allow a ride & drive like the Police Fleet Expo attendees experienced.

Zero Motorcycles and Recon Electric Bicycles also set up a small course along the VSP training facility’s internal “Urban Driving Course.”

Attendees got a chance to ride the Zero bikes on a realistic city course of urban streets and intersections or take out the amazing e-bikes and see just how efficient they are at moving emergency personnel quickly through crowds without exhausting the officers.

“Police Fleet Expo 2021 was a very good show for us.

We will be exhibiting at this show for years to come… it’s one show that delivers quality buyers for law enforcement.”

– RICKY JORDAN, GENERAL MANAGER OUTBACK ARMOUR USA | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

18 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

RECAP Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

Ford had three versions on the all-new 2020 Police Interceptor Utility, including all three powertrain options for the Police Interceptor Utility: the standard 3.3-liter hybrid, plus available 3.0-liter EcoBoost ® and 3.3liter V6 engines. All are powered by a new, 10-speed automatic transmission and feature standard full-time Intelligent All-Wheel Drive and a deep snow/sand traction control mode. Probably the biggest lineup of the day was the wait for the Ford F-150 Responder Pursuit pickup. This recently developed pursuit pickup that shocked everyone at Michigan State Police Testing was a popular choice for attendees. The F-150 Responder was driven on the high-speed track and also on the dirt course.

Dodge had several versions of the Charger Pursuit, both V6 Pentastar AWD and the V8 AWD version. The Charger is really the only sedan police vehicle left on the market with both GM and Ford no longer offering a big full-size sedan. The Durango Pursuit was also available for testing, along with the Dodge Ram 1500 SSV. Many of the attendees got to see just how well the Ram 1500 SSV handled the off-road course, as it was a popular choice all day.

GM had several versions of the newly designed Tahoe. Both PPV Tahoe and SSV 4X4 versions were available for a drive around the track.

The big news with the Tahoes was the new brakes, with huge 16-inch rotors and six-piston Brembo calipers. The Tahoe’s Police brake package is now second to none. The Silverado Pickup SSV and the newly released Chevrolet Bolt all-electric SSV was also a popular choice for attendees to test on the track. While small, the Bolt was lightning-quick and surprised many with how well it handled the track event. This new SSV version will likely be a favorite for non-frontline duties like parking or bylaw enforcement, detective, or administrative use.

“The quality of Exhibitors and attendees at the 2021 PFE show was outstanding. As a manufacturer of emergency vehicle fleet equipment, this show was perfect for us. We are looking forward to PFE 2022.”

– JACK KELLEY, CEO INNOVATIVE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021 20 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

“PFE was impactful…a tradeshow where we connected with existing customers, new prospects and showcased our new Feniex One controller and Quad technology to decision-makers in our industry. It was worth at least 6 months of individual travel, all in one single place.”

– YEMILYN ORTIZ, COO FENIEX INDUSTRIES | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

WHELEN NETWORKING EVENT

On Monday, August 16, between 6–10 p.m., Whelen Engineering put on a fabulous networking event at the Top Golf facility in Richmond. It was a full night of food, drink, and games that had all attendees enjoying the festivities. At this event, Whelen highlighted some of their latest technology, including their cutting-edge CenCom Core-R® WeCan X. Core-R is a vehicle control system engineered to enhance first responder and motorist safety with complete configurability, advanced automation, and remote connectivity. It is a control system with modular design to accommodate any situation for complete control of your fleet emergency lighting needs. Whelen is definitely changing the game when it comes to emergency lighting engineering, programmability, and connectivity. We thank Whelen for hosting this fantastic event.

On Tuesday, August 17, the highly anticipated Manufacturer Sessions were held in the main ballroom. These sessions are usually the most heavily attended and this year, they were packed! The sessions give fleet managers the opportunity to hear from all three OEMs and get the “straight goods” moving forward on current and future product development. Obviously, all three OEMs are affected by the current microchip shortages and it was a credit to all three OEM Police Program Teams as they honestly admitted it was an issue and described in detail how it is affecting their particular police vehicle production.

GENERAL MOTORS

This year, GM went first with some new staff making up their police team. Mr. Yuri Tello, General Motors Global Fleet and Government Sales Manager, spoke first and he handed off the presentation to the Police teams engineers for details on specific enhancements to their

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RECAP Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

“As a long time exhibitor, PFE 2021 surpassed our expectations. We were thrilled to demonstrate the high performance Firestone Police Pursuit tires at the Ride & Drive event. Looking forward to PFE 2022!”

– GREGG TROSPER, SR MANAGER GOV’T SALES & OPERATIONS BRIDGESTONE | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

vehicles. GM’s Police Program Team has many new people after Dana Hammer, the long-time face of GM Police Program, retired in 2019.

For pursuit-rated vehicles, GM has only the PPV Tahoe in AWD and RWD and that is it for pursuit-rated vehicles. The 2021 model was sold out with the 2022 model year ordering starting August 19, 2021. The new 2021 design features the big new Brembo brake package, 400W cooling fan and larger radiator, wider second row door opening, and a new feature called “DEAP.” This is Driver Exit Auto Park, which means if the driver is going under 5 mph, they can bail out of the driver’s door without placing the vehicle in Park and the Tahoe will allow DEAP to stop the vehicle. Field testing with numerous agencies has so far been very positive. They will continue to have an SSV Silverado pickup and surprisingly, at the Ride & Drive, GM again had a totally stock retail version of the Traverse for attendees to drive on the track. We are not sure if this was some kind of foreshadowing but during the presentation, the Police Team made subtle reference to future police products, so many were speculating that a Police Traverse was on the horizon, although GM would not confirm. https://www.gmfleet.com/police

“The 2021 Police Fleet Expo provided industry leaders the perfect opportunity to reconnect and network. It was energizing to be with our colleagues from vehicle & equipment manufacturers, suppliers, installation partners and police fleet managers.”

– BRETT YOUNG, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER-PUBLIC SAFETY HAVIS INC | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021 els. This will allow for an AWD V6 Charger with the new eight-speed Transmission. 2022 will also see the Ram 1500 SSV new eight-speed Trans with rotary dial on the dash (no more center console shifter).

The really big news for Dodge is in 2021, we will see a column shifter on the Durango, along with steel wheels, new brakes, rubber flooring, vinyl back seats, and an increased top speed. All Dodge 2022 MY vehicles will be tested at Michigan State Police Vehicle Testing (September). https://www.fcausfleet.com/law-enforcement-vehicles.html

FORD

Ford was next to present with Government Sales Manager Tony Gratson and Marketing Manager Greg Ebel providing a systematic summary of where Ford is in the police market and how the new 2022 Police Interceptor Utility is dominating the police market. As the only one of the big three to offer a pursuit-rated Hybrid police vehicle, Ford has doubled down on this technology and made it standard for 2022. So, if you chose to not go Hybrid PIU, you will need to delete the Hybrid option and receive a credit from Ford.

DODGE

For the Dodge Police Team, Mr. David Callery opened their session by declaring Dodge was having the same issues with production that everyone else was having, after an amazing 2019 where sales were up 52 percent and orders for the 2020 RWD V8 Charger sold out so quickly!

Callery said the 2022 order bank will open September 11, 2021 with the 2022 model year production. In 2022, Dodge has some big changes with the new eight-speed transmission becoming standard on all mod22 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

“Police Fleet Expo has always been an excellent show when it comes to law enforcement conferences. It’s a great opportunity to interact with police customers and industry suppliers and this year’s show didn’t disappoint!

Looking forward to next year’s expo!”

– GREG EBEL, POLICE BRAND MARKETING MANAGER FORD MOTOR COMPANY | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

RECAP Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

It appears Ford’s move to Hybrid technology, for Police, is being well received with the last 4,500 2021 MY orders in waiting for production to resume at the Chicago Assembly Plant. The plant has been shut down due to microchip shortages for over a month, but production is set to resume building police vehicles again in November 2021. Several attendees asked, “If I ordered PIUs today, when would they get built given all the delays?” Gratson advised that anything ordered today (August 2021) would be built in December/January as a 2022 model year PIU. All 2022 PIUs will include the software for the Ford-only Heated Sanitation Solution as standard.

The F-150 Responder Pursuit model year 2022 will start production in December 2021, but order banks are open September 22, 2021. The engineering that went into making this pickup truck a pursuit-rated vehicle is nothing short of amazing, and the tire engineering is one of the key components that makes this vehicle so purpose built. For anyone interested in the all-new F-150 all-electric Lightning, Gratson explained that firstyear production is almost sold out, but Government special pricing on the Lightning will be available before the end of the calendar year 2021.

Police Program QVC Engineer Randy Freiburger also gave a presentation on some of the issues surrounding current model year PIUs, explaining several software fixes are out there for transmission and HVAC issues.

Randy also explained that several agencies are purchasing retail Mustang Mach-E vehicles and deploying them for police duty. While Ford is not recommending this frontline duty cycle in the interest of safety, Ford has produced a modifier guide to assist anyone putting emergency equipment in these non-police rated vehicles. The goal here is to provide some clear direction on where to grab power without risking anyone’s safety. https://www.ford.com/police-vehicles/

“Police Fleet Expo is the “Premier” fleet show for law enforcement, with value for both Exhibitors and Attendees.

You can see products, drive vehicles, and learn from seminars…not to mention the first class evening events, with great hospitality and a lot fun!”

– JUDY SETINA, VICE PRESIDENT SETINA MANUFACTURING COMPANY | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

SOUNDOFF SIGNAL, SETINA MANUFACTURING CO., INTERMOTIVE VEHICLE CONTROLS EVENT

On Wednesday, August 18, Setina Manufacturing Co., along with SoundOff Signal and Intermotive Vehicle Controls, put on a wonderful networking event at the Hippodrome Theater. This was a fun evening with excellent food, drinks, and entertainment. We thank all three sponsors for hosting such a great evening.

A special thank-you to the City of Richmond along with the Richmond Police Department and the Virginia State Police for their support, hospitality, and kindness. Overall, with such good attendance and outstanding conference and track facilities, PFE 2021 Richmond was a BIG event for the law enforcement market. We look forward to an even bigger crowd, at PFE 2022, in Indianapolis, IN (August, 2022). Mark your calendars and start making your plans now!

PFE 2021/Ride & Drive photos by Meghan McDade.

CODE 3 NETWORKING EVENT

On Tuesday, August 17, Code 3 had their networking event at the Hippodrome Theater in downtown Richmond. Attendees were able to try their hand at Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, or Craps! Another great opportunity to eat, drink, and get to know fellow attendees and exhibitors. Code3 showed off their latest products, which included some new hardware and light packages. We thank Code3 for putting on this festive night.

Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 23

Sergeant Brad Brewer is a 30-year member of the Vancouver Police Department. He was an eight-year member of the Ford Police Advisory Board and regularly gives presentations at law enforcement conferences on mobile computing, wireless technology and police vehicle ergonomics.

He can be reached at sgt1411@gmail.com.

“PFE 2021 was a great event, as expected. It was worth the wait after missing last year! We appreciate the targeted attendance, highly interactive networking, and a great time all around. This event continues to be a premier law enforcement event for us.”

– MARNI EPSTEIN, VP OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING SOUNDOFF SIGNAL | PFE EXHIBITOR 2021

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

OPS PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TRAILERS

OPS Public Safety offers 12- to 53-foot turnkey response trailers for any department. Whether you are looking for drawers, cabinets, shelving units, office space, or power supply, we will work with you to design a mobile solution that suits exactly how you will use it. Choose OPS Public Safety as your one-source provider for designing, building, and delivering turnkey trailers.

Please visit https://opspublicsafety.com/response-trailers/ to download a brochure of their 37 trailer solutions available.

AED | PATROL PC® ULTRARUGGED® PRINTER MOUNT SYSTEM

Introducing the UltraRugged® Printer Mount System exclusively from AED | Patrol PC®. The patented, space-saving design is crash-tested and promotes officer safety, comfort, and efficiency. Features include unrestricted interior access to console space, electronic equipment, cup holders, and center-mounted long arms. It is compatible with all major police vehicles, even those with partitions, and attaches to factory headrest with no special tools required. It is also compatible with Brother PocketJet 7/RuggedJet 4 printers and enables easy paper roll changing.

Made in the USA. To learn more, email sales@patrolpc.com, call 508-699-0458, or visit www.patrolpc.com

OUTBACK ARMOUR 2021 TAHOE PD SUSPENSION POLICE PACKAGE

Outback Armour USA LLC (Houston, TX) showcased the 2021 Tahoe PD suspension (Police Package) at PFE 2021. A suspension designed to enhance the performance of police vehicles, reduce wear and tear on engine, transmission, and drive train, it also reduces the cost to police departments. Police vehicles require suspension that can handle not only the paved road but also perform when those rugged off-road evasive maneuvers are needed. Drivers need the ability to maintain speed and controllability and this is what Outback Armour provides.

Call 346-312-9360 or visit www.outbackarmour.com.au or usa@outbackarmour.com.au.

INTERMOTIVE IDLELOCK™ WITH AUTOSENSE™ THEFT PREVENTION SYSTEM This theft prevention system offers automated protection for idling police vehicles. IdleLock with AutoSense from InterMotive is activated automatically when the engine is running and the officer exits the vehicle with the fob. IdleLock with AutoSense locks the transmission in Park while maintaining all systems and prevents any unauthorized person from driving away. For self-activating vehicle security that allows officers to focus on more important things, IdleLock with AutoSense is the solution for you.

To learn more, visit www.InterMotive.net

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NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

INTERCEPTOR 80 SERIES PRINTER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

The new Interceptor 80 (I80) series provides officers the ability to print full-page tickets, reports, or other printing needs for patrol car applications. It has dual-serrated tear bars, large function buttons, and an easy-to-open paper door. The I80 was designed to easily replace existing PocketJet printers. Mounting systems that are currently offered by mounting companies will work with the I80 with no modifications needed. The I80 is compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS Bluetooth operating systems.

For more information, call 800-368-4636 or visit www.printek.com

DOERING LEASING AND FLEET SERVICES

Doering Leasing assists all government agencies with the acquisition of their police fleet as well as any other needed vehicles and equipment. They offer programs for marked and unmarked vehicles, with lease and finance terms from 12 months to 60 months. Their goal is to help fleet managers in locating the vehicles they need and finding the best options to get the maximum number of vehicles with the least amount of cash rather than suffer with the purchase of just a few vehicles.

To learn more, visit www.doeringfleet.com

ACARI FLEET SOLUTIONS VI SERIES LIGHTING SOLUTION

Acari Fleet Solutions introduced the Vi Series. Their mission is to provide a better lighting platform to benefit both officer and civilian safety by creating a better mounting system and combining their expertise with already proven lighting manufacturers, such as SoundOff Signal, Federal Signal, and Putco. The R-VID is the rear light installment and provides an EYE – Level warning light that is fully programmable for any situation.

For more information, visit www.acari-fs.com

TG3 ELECTRONICS BLTX KEYBOARD

TG3 Electronics’ rugged BLTX keyboard fits well in harsh environments. The keyboard is IP65 rated, making it spill-resistant.

The keyboard has an adjustable backlighting feature that adjusts up and down seven shades. The keyboard is offered in both rubber and keyswitch key fields with a Bluetooth option.

The keyboard also comes with a standard three-year warranty.

Try out a free demo unit today by contacting TG3 Electronics at info@tg3electronics.com 26 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

EMERGENCY VEHICLE STORAGE SYSTEMS

AVAILABLE FOR TRAILERS - VANS - TRUCKS - SUVS opspublicsafety.com | 315-595-3300

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

GRAPHIC DESIGNS INTERNATIONAL

Graphic Designs International is the only nationwide fleet graphics company dedicated to Police, Sheriff, Fire Rescue, Security, and the Public Safety Community. Their police graphics are designed to give your department the right look that fits your budget, and they offer everything for your community’s fleet graphic needs.

To learn more, visit www.gdigraphics.com

KEYTRAK GUARDIAN KEY CONTROL SYSTEM

The KeyTrak Guardian is a modular, wall-mounted electronic key control system that allows you to individually lock down fleet keys for maximum security. The system can control any combination of secure key panels, locker panels, card modules, and key tag drawers. Choose from any combination of modules, panels, or drawers to meet your specific security requirements.

For more information on this and other key management solutions, visit www.keytrack.com

WHELEN ENGINEERING

Whelen Cloud Platform™ The Whelen Cloud Platform (WCP) delivers a multitude of capabilities for fleet management and safety. Using the Vehicle Safety Gateway® (VSG®), it bridges connectivity into next-generation analytics and software along with over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates, all while helping first responders make life-saving decisions through telemetric and GPS-based data. The Cloud positions Whelen to continue to lead the industry with safety innovations.

Integration with Opticom™ Emergency Vehicle Preemption Working with GTT, the Whelen Cloud Platform will be integrated with Opticom Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP). Opticom clears the intersection and gives officers the green light to safely respond to emergencies. This technology has been proven to reduce intersection crash rates by up to 70 percent while enabling officers to arrive up to 25 percent faster. This addition to the Whelen Cloud Platform adds another level of safety for officers as they are in response mode.

All-new Analytics Through the Whelen Cloud Platform The new analytics feature in WCP allows users to easily store, gather, and visualize vehicle and fleet statistics to generate custom reports. Users can view vehicle status statistics, heatmaps indicating where vehicles travel the most, and response mode information such as speed and location.

Experience Ultimate Control with CenCom Core® Launched at PFE 2019, CenCom Core continues to be the smartest and most powerful CANbased communication system in the industry. CenCom Core is a system created to enhance officer safety with advanced automation and remote connectivity. Featuring Dynamic Variable Intensity™ patterns, Vehicle-to-Vehicle sync, and advanced customization, Core redefines what is possible for vehicle control systems.

For more information, visit https://www.whelen.com 28 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

GOODYEAR EAGLE ENFORCER: THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST ALL-WEATHER PURSUIT CERTIFIED TIRE

As a recognized leader in police pursuit tires, Goodyear is proud to spotlight the Eagle Enforcer all-weather pursuit tire. The use of soybean-based rubber compound reduces petroleum-based oils by 45 percent (soybean oil also helps improve traction in colder temperatures by keeping the rubber more pliable while enhancing tread life). The asymmetric tread design with sweeping tread grooves helps to offer powerful traction and control, while enhancing steering response. The Eagle Enforcer is police pursuit certified for handling and durability (32 laps Grattan and 100 laps Michigan State Police EVOC) and it is also Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) Certified (a three-peak mountain snowflake symbol indicates the tire meets required performance criteria in snow testing to be considered severe snow service-rated).

For more information, please visit www.policetires.com or https://gov.goodyear.com/police

SOUNDOFF SIGNAL NFORCE NXT LIGHTBAR

The nFORCE NXT Lightbar from SoundOff Signal is the next generation of the industry-leading nFORCE Lightbar. nFORCE NXT boasts a 15 percent increase in LED output, 20 percent reduction in amps, three-wire circuitry for easier install, built-in photo cell, and the ability to plug directly into a 500 Series Siren, not to mention the sleek new look with symmetrical endcaps, a 10 percent lower profile, and tinted lens options (the nForce NXT is currently available).

For more information on this and other high-quality safety solutions for law enforcement, visit www.soundoffsignal.com

PFC BRAKES NEW 2020-21 INTERCEPTOR CARBONMETALLIC® BRAKE PADS Due to the increased demand for a longer-lasting and better performing friction solution, PFC Brakes introduced the allnew CarbonMetallic® brake pads for the 2020-21 Ford Police Interceptor. Using the same heat-treating process as their race-winning pads, their Police and First Responders CarbonMetallic® pads are greener, quieter, and last longer than the competition. Long-life friction saves money with the lowest cost per mile in fleet tests. Iconic fusion-bonding technology prevents separation between the friction and backing plate and temperature-resistant shims provide a barrier to noise and vibration. The new Interceptor pads are available now. For optimal performance, pair PFC’S CarbonMetallic® pads with their corresponding ZERO FAILURES™ rotors.

To learn more, visit www.pfcbrakes.com 30 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS M500 IN-CAR VIDEO SYSTEM

The M500 in-car video system is a groundbreaking leap forward in awareness, safety, and efficiency. It’s not just an eye recording what it sees, it’s a brain analyzing everything around you.

Powerful video analytics—driven by industry-leading 4k video— constantly process your surroundings, alerting you in real time to threats and objectives. Built on exacting research and realworld feedback, the M500 is designed to withstand the toughest conditions and to work intuitively in the most demanding situations. Furthermore, the M500 amplifies the capabilities of the mission-critical technology you already count on, by leveraging the Motorola Solutions technology ecosystem.

To learn more, visit: motorolasolutions.com/M500

FENIEX ONE CONTROLLER

The Feniex ONE made its first public appearance at PFE 2021. It is the industry’s first autonomous controller from Feniex Industries and a must-have for law enforcement and fleet managers.

The Quad lighting series was also featured at the Feniex booth, another industry-first quad-color LED technology for any and all police applications.

For more information, visit www.feniex.com

GO RHINO AND AEDEC SINGLE-CELL DETAINEE SAFETY SEAT FOR THE 20202021 FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY

Go Rhino and AEDEC have teamed up to produce one of the safest prisoner seating systems in the market today. Restrain and transport prisoners with ease using the revolutionary seat belting systems and signature seat features. Virtually indestructible and lightweight, it is made of molded TPO and polycarbonate materials of 0.220 thickness. Impermeable, chemically resistant material allows for easy biohazard cleanup and sterilization. The 3-Point “Pro-Straint” handle system prevents the need to reach across detainee when buckling and streamlines and protects the officer and detainee during loading and unloading. It is designed specifically to eliminate gaps and crevices where contraband may otherwise be hidden and there is an optional dual/single gun rack available.

For more information on this and other law enforcement transport solutions, visit www.gorhino.com

32 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

2022 CHEVROLET TAHOE PPVs ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR BAILMENT POOL! CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS ON HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR FULLY UPFITTED 2022 TAHOE PPV THROUGH CAP FLEET. www.capfleet.com | sales@capfleet.com | 254-773-1959

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

POLIFORCE CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGNS TRANSFIX™ CMS800, WITH STEALTH SCREEN™

The new generation of POLIFORCE Changeable Message Signs is the TRANSFIX™ CMS800, with Stealth Screen™.

It displays texts and graphical images on a transparent LED screen, mounted on a patrol vehicle’s rear deck/window area.

The latest version is curved to conform to the arch and tilt of the window. The messages are selected from the vehicle’s onboard computer via touchscreen, click, or voice command, to visually communicate with drivers of approaching vehicles about the road or area conditions ahead, without blocking the rearview mirror. The animated graphical images function as a lightbar with steady or strobing lights, and traffic advisor. The Stealth Screen™ can be molded to be the same shape and size of any vehicle.

To learn more, visit www.poliforce.com

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK G2 2-IN-1 RUGGEDIZED TABLET

Panasonic launched the TOUGHBOOK G2, a fully rugged 2-in-1 detachable tablet with optional keyboard that features an innovative modular design and user-removable expansion packs (xPAKs), limiting downtime and boosting situational awareness for law enforcement workers so they can continue to support their communities both effectively and efficiently. The TOUGHBOOK G2 has many new features, such as an optimal screen size for portability and the ability to dock/detach the device in-vehicle. The screen brightness ranges from 2 nits to 1,000 nits, offering workers access to critical information in the dark (in a situation where they don’t want to be seen) or direct sunlight. The TOUGHBOOK G2 comes with three expansion areas to configure the device to specific officer needs. Other features include data capture and processing for digital reports, enabling officers to check background information in real time and route plan better. WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 features, and FirstNet certification offers enhanced connectivity between teams and centralized command centers. It is also compatible with a majority of existing TOUGHBOOK 20 and G1 docks, simplifying the upgrade path and limiting downtime.

View video of this product here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/panasonic-redefines-mobilitywith-the-introduction-of-the-customizable-toughbook-g2-a-fully-rugged-modular-2-in-1-tablet-built-for-versatility-301338484.html

JOTTO DESK® 2021+ CHEVY TAHOE CARGO COVER/EQUIPMENT TRAY

The Jotto Desk® 2021+ Chevy Tahoe Cargo Cover/Equipment Tray is designed to provide a solid horizontal divider in the vehicle. Drivers can mount expensive communication, in-car video, and lighting equipment to the upper/top section that uninstalls easily for service. Store, conceal, and protect day-to-day and mission-critical gear underneath 14-gauge steel. Available in models that attach to either the Jotto Desk Seat Replacement System or Cargo Barrier.

To learn more, visit www.jottodesk.com

34 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

PRO-GARD™ PRODUCTS

Pro-gard™ Products continues to design and manufacture products that meet the needs of officers, especially when it comes to efficiency and reliability. They recently unveiled two new products: P1300 Pro-Cell Single Prisoner Transport System Pro-gard™ Products’ new P1300 Pro-Cell Single Prisoner Transport System for the 2020 to current Ford Interceptor Utility is the latest proven solution for fleets who need to achieve total prisoner containment during transports. The P1300 ProCell provides full usage of two-thirds of the second row seat while using only one-third for single prisoner transport. This new system provides full travel and recline of the driver’s seat without compromising the safety necessary for prisoner transport. The single-system innovation creates a seamless use for the car during work and after hours. With our current Pro-Cell Prisoner Transport Systems, the entire second row OEM seat is removed and replaced with a full-width ABS transport seat. The new P1300 Pro-Cell allows agencies to leave the driver side and middle OEM rear seat in and only remove the outer one-third OEM seat. This allows the remaining OEM seats to be utilized for car seats or other individuals in the backseat without sacrificing safety or comfort. The newest Pro-Cell allows agencies to leave the driver-side and middle OEM rear seats to remain installed, only removing the other one-third OEM second-row seat.

The single-prisoner transport system eliminates the need to store the entire second-row seat of the Ford Police Interceptor Utility to now only store one-third of the seat.

This ergonomically friendly system sits 6 inches lower than the OEM seats and comes with all the equipment needed to provide fully contained prisoner transport options. The P1300 comes equipped with a one-third partition, lower extension panel, cargo barrier, window bars (polycarbonate or steel), custom-molded passenger side-replacement door panel, transport seat and floor pan, polycarbonate divider, wing kit, and outboard seat belts. The 3/8-inch thick polycarbonate divider is formed to provide a tight fit between the OEM and prisoner transport seat and has precut slotted vent holes at the top to allow for airflow. Our Tri-Lock Self Supporting Gun Rack installs vertically between the driver and passenger seats without interfering with the P1300 and is available for single- or dual-mounting options along with a locking handgun box.

Cargo Storage Floor Pro-gard™ Products, LLC introduced the new Cargo Storage Floor, a three-compartment storage system, exclusively for the 2021 Chevy Tahoe. It expands the cargo area, allowing officers to conceal a wide range of equipment, weapons, and electronics. It creates an elevated floor in the cargo area, providing the convenience to readily store or access gear and weapons. An added benefit to the flat floor surface is the capability to mount other necessary items such as flashlights or fire extinguishers to the top of the compartments. The three unique hinged storage compartments are installed with push-button latches to easily open and close each compartment as needed. Offering three unique storing options in the cargo area of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe, the Cargo Storage Floor is easy to install and securely mounts directly to the floor using existing OEM mounting points. It performs with or without a Pro-gard Cargo Barrier and is powder-coated to match their cargo barriers.

For non-prisoner transport vehicles, it was engineered to work with the OEM seats in the PPV/SSV Chevy Tahoe models to offer a storage option in the cargo space when there otherwise may not be one. Another benefit of the Cargo Storage Floor is that it was designed to allow access to the rear auxiliary battery in the cargo area, whereas some other cargo storage solutions obstruct access to the battery. Made of heavy-duty powder-coated steel, each compartment is equipped with two push-button latches. The first compartment is furnished with a key-locking latch for securely storing weapons or sensitive gear (8.21” D x 13.23” L x 42.35” W). The second compartment comfortably stores duty gear or other equipment (8.21” D x 13.39” L x 42.35” W). The third, furthest most compartment houses electronics with a removable electronics tray for mounting electronics (6.31” D x 15.52” L 42.35” W). The third compartment may also function as a storage compartment if needed in place of using it as an electronics tray.

To learn more, visit www.progard.com 36 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

NEW PRODUCTS Police Fleet Expo 2021 - Richmond, VA

FEDERAL SIGNAL RELIANT™ LIGHT BAR

The Reliant™ Light Bar from Federal Signal features a low-profile, linear design that provides superior multi-color warning on vehicular applications. Designed with safety in mind, Reliant is packed with exclusive technologies and comes with a variety of standard functions to cover all your basic needs at a budget-friendly price. Reliant includes 28 flash patterns, built-in SignalMaster™, and alley, takedown, brake, and flood light capabilities to keep emergency personnel safe on the road. All Reliant models are preconfigured and feature serial communication to be used in combination with the Pathfinder light/siren controller or Convergence Network four-, six-, and nine-button controllers.

To learn more, visit www.fedsig.com

SETINA REAR CARGO DECK SYSTEM FOR TAHOE PPV

Setina’s new Rear Cargo Deck System is designed to maximize the Tahoe PPV’s rear storage capabilities. The Cargo Deck is easily installed and provides a flat surface for upper storage along with two lower storage bays for electronics, cargo, and firearms. The lower Rear Bay comes with a removable vented access plate for electronics storage while the lower Front Bay provides Cargo and Firearms storage, with a lift-up gas spring assisted lid (with a push-button lock). The versatile design works with or without a rear partition and it is compatible with Setina’s cargo box systems.

For more vehicle and storage solutions, visit www.setina.com

BERGSTROM ECOOLPARK™

Meet eCoolPark™, the innovative, eco-friendly battery electric no-idle HVAC System that integrates into the existing vehicle HVAC system to enable the user to shut off their engine, engage their vehicle blower, and turn on the eCoolPark and maintain the interior temperature when the vehicle is shut off.

For more information on this and other vehicle solutions, visit https://us.bergstrominc.com Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 37

FEATURE

HAAS Alert: Improving Move Over Compliance To Reduce Struck-By Line-of-Duty Deaths

HAAS ALERT:

IMPROVING MOVE OVER COMPLIANCE TO REDUCE STRUCK-BY LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS

BY JIM KERRY

38 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

A GROWING THREAT

A

ccording to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, the number of Struck-By Line-of-Duty Deaths (LODDs) for emergency personnel has continuously increased since 2018. That year, a total of 34 LODDs were recorded, including 14 LEO fatalities.

In 2019, the number increased to 44 overall deaths, including 18 LEO fatalities. Last year, despite a decline in overall traffic due to COVID-related shutdowns, the number of LODDs for the year increased again to 46, including another 17 LEO losses.

As of this writing, 2021 is already one of the deadliest years for struck-by incidents on record. 48 LODDs have occurred between January and September this year, including a recordbreaking 20 law enforcement deaths.

Lights and sirens have been the only line of defense and protection on the road for generations of law enforcement officers. For decades, emergency lighting designers and manufacturers have worked to make lightbars more effective and conspicuous, and vehicle manufacturers have labored to design vehicles that are safer and less prone to injuring drivers in the event of a collision. However, the risk of danger to law enforcement officers on the road in the same time period has also increased at a dangerously fatal rate.

Since 2002, Move Over laws have been established in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. While the law varies by state, nearly all require that drivers slow down and move over for law enforcement and other emergency vehicles when their lightbars and/or sirens are activated. Despite these laws, statistics show that the risk to officers, troopers, and other law enforcement professionals on the road is higher than ever.

REDEFINING EMERGENCY ALERTING

The problem, as HAAS Alert CEO Cory Hohs noted, is that lights and sirens don’t always get the attention of approaching motorists. “Between mobile devices, advanced infotainment systems, and other modern innovations, drivers today are more distracted than ever,” Hohs said. “Modern vehicle cabins are designed to insulate drivers from external road noise, so drivers don’t even hear sirens until they’re dangerously close.”

If responders can’t count on Move Over laws and lights and sirens to get someone’s attention, then how can they actually alert approaching motorists that they need to move over before it’s too late? Hohs said that this core question is the reason why nearly 800 public safety agencies are using HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud® service to deliver digital alerts to approaching drivers. “Real-time awareness isn’t enough to notify drivers,” Hohs commented. “They need advanced notification, and that’s where Safety Cloud comes in.”

Safety Cloud is a connected safety solution that enables law enforcement and other emergency vehicles to alert drivers through navigation apps and connected car systems to slow down and move over. Unlike lights and sirens, digital alerts are guaranteed to reach into the cabin of a vehicle and warn a driver of a hazard ahead. HAAS Alert keeps track of how many driver alerts are processed through its cloud-based service. To date, the company says more than 1 billion alerts have been delivered. Drivers receive the alerts on apps like Waze, and the Company is also working directly with automakers to bring the alerts directly into the dashboard or instrument cluster of consumer vehicles. This fall, Stellantis, the automaker for vehicle brands including Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram, announced that it was testing Safety Cloud alerts in the market and considering a possible integration in the months ahead.

The company points to three studies that show just how effective the alerts can be for reducing the risk of a potentially fatal collision. A 2013 University of Minnesota study found that advanced warning systems reduced the likelihood of a collision by 90 percent compared to traditional lights and sirens alone. Then, last year, an NHTSA study in Washington, D.C. on the use of Safety Cloud digital alerting sent between responders approaching the same incident resulted in a 25 percent reduction in responder speed in one second after receiving the first alert. Finally, researchers at Purdue University this summer found that queue trucks equipped with Safety Cloud digital alerting reduced hard-braking events by 80 percent on Indiana interstates.

Captain Richard Arnold, Commander of the Michigan State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, said that Safety Cloud has made a difference in their fleet. “Our troopers and officers are exposed to constant risk on our roadways,” said Captain Arnold. “It can be difficult for people to hear sirens and see emergency lights in heavy traffic and at freeway speeds.

We believe that providing the public an advanced warning of our presence along a roadway, or during our response to an emergency, can enhance the safety of everybody in that area by affording extra time to slow down, move over, or prepare to stop.” Captain Arnold noted that MSP “equipped a small number of patrol vehicles with digital alert units, or ‘digital sirens,’ that can provide warnings directly inside motorists’ vehicles via mobile applications enabled to receive them. To date, over 108,000 motorists have received these alerts from Safety Cloud, and we believe our officers and motorists are safer because of it.”

Captain David Schnurstein from the Grand Rapids Police Department in Michigan also said that Safety Cloud has made a tangible difference in the safety of his officers. “As the secondlargest city in our state, we work in a complex suburban and urban environment with blind corners and tight intersections,” he says. “For us, being able to effectively alert drivers while protecting officer privacy and safety is paramount. Digital alerting

Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 39

FEATURE

HAAS Alert: Improving Move Over Compliance To Reduce Struck-By Line-of-Duty Deaths

through Safety Cloud provides us with that enhanced protection without any safety tradeoffs.”

HAAS Alert says that the primary purpose of Safety Cloud and digital alerting is to improve Move Over compliance so that responders and other professionals who work on the road are less likely to be struck, injured, or killed in the line of duty. But Hohs noted that working so closely with responders inevitably led them to build even more functionality into their service. “We learn something new from every single department we work with, and our service has really evolved into much more because of that.”

A YEAR OF INNOVATION

HAAS Alert’s earliest development work was done in part with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as with emergency departments and Departments of Transportation (DOTs) across the country. Beginning in 2020, the company began collaborating with individual police agencies, sheriff’s departments, and highway patrol fleets to make its solution even more effective for law enforcement use cases.

The company says there were several features and enhancements that were uniquely necessary for law enforcement fleets: conspicuity customization, and an interoperable, multi-jurisdictional, fully integratable situational awareness capability for mutual aid and coordinated response.

CONSPICUITY CUSTOMIZATION

Unlike firefighters, DOT roadside personnel, and towing operators, law enforcement officers on the road often alternate between conspicuous response and covert operations. Th ere are many circumstances and scenarios in which officers often elect to use either their lightbar, siren, or loudspeaker independently. Hohs said that officers helped guide the company’s development of an alert customization feature that allows officers to selectively withhold digital alerting while activating the lightbar, so that digital alerts are only delivered when officers want to alert drivers imminently approaching an incident or while moving through an intersection in pursuit mode.

40 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

INTEROPERABLE MULTIJURISDICTIONAL SITUATIONAL AWARENESS INTEGRATION

As coordinated response and inter-departmental operations become more common across the country, law enforcement leaders require more insight than ever into the real-time status of their personnel, fl e ets, a nd p artners. S afety C loud i ncludes a r ealtime Situational Awareness Dashboard where fl eet managers can monitor the status of all equipped fl eets to know which offi cers are actively engaged in incident response. Hohs said that the company further modifi ed the Dashboard after law enforcement departments requested the ability to easily share this data with partners for both short-term, emergency needs, as well as longterm coordination eff orts. Now, departments can track multiple partner fl e ets w ithin a s ingle d ashboard a nd e asily s hare d ashboard access with trusted users in partnering organizations.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Hohs said that HAAS Alert hosts regular brainstorming sessions with public safety leaders in communities of every size in order to better understand how to make their service as eff e ctive a s possible.

“Our core focus is to clear the way for our nation’s public servants to do their job safely and eff ectively,” Hohs said. “Preventing a single collision involving a law enforcement offi c e r can save a community millions of dollars and lead to the safety and protection of countless lives. We have the tools to solve this problem today, and our public servants deserve every protection we can off er them.” Safety Cloud is available to any public safety agency fl eet and equippable as an aftermarket solution on any emergency vehicle.

Jim Kerry has extensive public safety experience and is part of HAAS Alert Law Enforcement Division. For more information, call 833-433-4227 or visit HAASAlert.com.

FOCUS

StopAmbush Motion Sensor Technology for Police Vehicles

S TOP A MBUSH MOTION SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE VEHICLES WWW.STOPAMBUSH.COM

BY KLOEE CIUPERGER 42 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

O

ne night shift, Officer Vasile Ciuperger was engrossed in writing up a report on his laptop in his police vehicle. Alone in a parking lot, he quickly realized the limitations to his situational awareness. From brightness of the screen and the focus diverted to the report, a civilian suddenly appeared at the front of his vehicle without him noticing the approach. While the man only needed directions, Ciuperger realized the vulnerability officers face while working in their vehicles while on patrol. A few sketches and an evolved prototype later, he brought the patented StopAmbush to the market.

According to POLICE Magazine, “Police vehicles are magnets that attract all sorts of people’s attention, including those who want to find an officer to kill. Any traffic stop, whether involving motorists or pedestrians, will put officers in the limelight and will expose them to possible ambushes or attacks.”

The device has a 360-degree motion sensor that tracks motion within a 25-foot radius. StopAmbush consists of two motion sensors that sit on the roof of the officer’s patrol vehicle.

The motion sensor “pods” are about two inches wide and can be installed to the top of any police vehicle, whether it is a classic Crown Vic, an SUV, or a pick-up truck. Inside the vehicle, mounted to the sun visor on the driver side, is a compact display. With six arrows, when a sensor is triggered, the display lights up with an accompanying adjustable sound, signaling to the officer when someone is coming toward them and from what direction they are approaching.

“This device uses red arrows and beeping sounds to grab [the] officer’s attention. You could have six people approaching you from six different directions, and you will have six arrows alerting you,” Ciuperger said.

The display folds up and away, not hindering the officer’s line of sight when not in use. The volume is adjustable and resets every time the device is used to ensure that an officer does not forget to raise the volume again and misses an alert.

Mahoning Township Police Department in Pennsylvania has the units installed in their vehicles, in the department’s SUV and patrol cars.

“The unit has the potential to keep officers from harm’s way. It is such a simple unit and such a great idea to have it available. It is paramount,” said Mahoning Township Officer Matthew Gerst.

The unit emits a high-pitched buzz to alert officers of anyone near a patrol vehicle. Gerst said one of their officers sitting along the highway was alerted by a nearby deer. “It picked up a deer behind the car,” he stated. “It shows that it works and is definitely enough to get your attention,” he commented.

“With things going on today, we can’t be too safe. When

you see a person walking to your car, it takes you by surprise,” Gerst said, adding the units “work fantastic.”

StopAmbush is an officer’s second set of eyes. Ciuperger said that using the computer inside an officer’s vehicle reduces the officer’s line of vision, making them more vulnerable.

In July 2017, a New York City police officer was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack while she was sitting in a marked police vehicle early in Bronx, New York. Officer Miosotis Familia was inside the large vehicle known as a mobile command post with her partner on duty at 12:30 a.m. when a gunman fired through a window and shot Familia in the head.

Familia, who was a 12-year NYPD veteran, was taken to a hospital in extremely critical condition and later died. Familia’s partner survived the attack.

The city’s police commissioner called the shooting an assassination and in a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Familia was “unjustly targeted and murdered in a cowardly, unprovoked attack. This murder in cold blood is a tragedy, and sadly, it is the latest in a troubling series of attacks on police officers over the past two years.”

This attack was similar to the 2014 killings of two New York police officers who were shot at point-blank range while sitting in a police car in Brooklyn. In 2016 in the suburb of Urbandale, right outside Des Moines, Iowa, at 1 a.m., an Urbandale police officer was fatally shot sitting alone in his patrol vehicle.

The officer was 24-year-old Justin Martin. Minutes later, officers found a Des Moines police officer who had also been shot in his squad car at an intersection in the city. The wounded officer was transported to a local hospital where he died. The officer was 39-year-old Sgt. Anthony “Tony” Beminio, who had been with the Des Moines Police Department since 2005.

“In all appearances, it looks just like that, the officers were ambushed,” Sgt. Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department said at a press conference. “It doesn’t look like there was any interaction between these officers and whoever the coward is who shot them while they sat in their cars.”

In response to the Brooklyn officer ambushes, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “It’s clear that this was an assassination. These officers were shot execution-style, a particularly despicable act, which goes to the heart of our society and our democracy.”

Working on paperwork inside the patrol car has the average police officer with their back turned to the unknown whether it be day or night. To complicate matters, the officer’s night vision is non-existent because staring at the computer screen severely compromises visual awareness. StopAmbush asks the question, “Who is watching your back?” and offers the lookout officers need in a time where officers are increasingly becoming targets. It allows a police officer to be aware of their situation and react. Those precious few seconds can be the difference

Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 43

FOCUS StopAmbush Motion Sensor Technology for Police Vehicles

between an ambush and an officer’s safety.

“Seeing some of the senseless killings of police officers throughout [the] country lately, I think my product will make a big difference possibly between someone going home at the end of their shift,” said Ciuperger.

This one-of-a-kind tool was invented by a real police officer for police officers. The engineering was tailored to carefully accommodate the tactical needs of an officer. While other sensor products for vehicles exist, none of them offer what StopAmbush does. The sensors’ range and unique design create an umbrella-like protection over the entire vehicle. It is compact, with a focus on simplicity in its design. The product is also easily installed, taking an average of 45 minutes for fleet installers to mount and plug into a car or SUV. In 2020, StopAmbush received a patent for its product. It is adaptable 44 Police Fleet Manager Fall Spring 2021 2021

to different types of vehicles and uses passive infrared technology to detect motion and trigger perimeter alerts. It is the only product on the market providing 360-degree coverage. The perimeter alerts trigger a directional visual and audio alert system on demand with the push of a button. StopAmbush was created to protect the protectors.

Kloee Ciuperger is the current Marketing Director at StopAmbush. She can be reached at 561779-5515. For questions or feedback, she can be reached at 561-779-5515 or stopambush@ gmail.com. To learn more, visit www.stopambush.com.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Ballistic Panel/Armored Vehicle Options for Today’s Police Vehicles

BALLISTIC PANEL/ARMORED VEHICLE OPTIONS FOR TODAY’S POLICE VEHICLES

BY BRAD BREWER 46 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

T

he ballistic standard established by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is widely known and accepted by police agencies throughout the world. Thus, the NIJ standard provides the performance level for most ballistic-resistant materials like body armor or vehicle armor plating.

As it stands, there are currently no 100-percent bulletproof materials available on the market.

Thankfully, most body armor or vehicle armor plating does provide the officer with a substantial amount of protection from various kinds of handgun ammunition. However, it is imperative that officers be aware that the amount of protection offered varies depending on how a piece of armor is classified and rated in terms of the threat level it protects against.

The NIJ standard specifies what the minimum requirements are for body armor or vehicle armor that have undergone their performance and testing protocols. The NIJ then rates the various types of available armor according to the threat levels they offer protection against. When armor is undergoing testing, self-regulating NIJ-certified laboratories put the body armor through a number of different tests to ensure they meet NIJ code and performance standards.

There are numerous vendors that supply armor vehicles and armor vehicle panels to law enforcement and the military. All three police vehicle OEMs offer some type of ballistic door panels as an option when ordering their vehicles, or as a factory-authorized option. Several aftermarket suppliers also offer retro-fit packages to add in vehicle door armor. Ford has performed significant testing with internal door ballistic panels and currently offer factory-installed ballistic panels. Their testing videos can be seen on the Dew Engineering website or You Tube.

DEW ENGINEERING www.dewengineering.com DEW Engineering, which built its business on producing military armor for the U.S. and Canadian militaries, is now the producer of ballistic door panels for Ford, Dodge, and GM. After extensive design and testing that was first initiated by Ford’s Police Program Team, DEW Engineering offers Level IV panels that can be installed by the OEM when factory ordering a new Ford Police vehicle or as an aftermarket add-on for GM and Dodge.

For a standard patrol vehicle, the areas that are most likely to come under attack are the doors and side windows. So that is where most law enforcement agencies are focusing their armoring efforts. There are two basic ways to add ballistic armor to the doors of a law enforcement vehicle that is not specifically designed to be an armored vehicle. You can install it into the door or apply it to the surface of the vehicle. Used extensively by police forces throughout the United States, the DEW

PD panels act as a ballistic shield when installed in a vehicle door, allowing officers to arrive on site protected. These panels are integrated into the interior of the door, between outer skin and interior trim, and do not have any external mounting requirements. The PD series can be customized for different applications, such as the protection of panel vans, shelters, and containers.

The DEW PD Ballistic Panel solutions have been tested in accordance with the requirements of the NIJ Standard 0108.01 as well as other special threats, including the multihit Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) specification MTD 11-BDP01. The DEW Engineering Team also performs significant durability testing that includes shooting at extreme hot and cold temperatures, pre-condition test panels by high/low temperature cycling, pre-condition test panels by saltwater submersion, and 100,000 x door slams.

HARDWIRE, LLC www.HardwireLLC.com Hardwire provides protective armor systems to the military, law enforcement, and public entities such as school systems. The company has produced armored police vehicles for large cities and municipalities, covered miles of the nation’s critical bridges with armor, outfitted countless police officers with life-saving protection, and supplies the U.S. military with hard and soft body armor.

Blending in covertly for a less aggressive look that works well with community policing while still offering life-saving ballistic protection, Hardwire vehicle armor is a popular choice of fleet managers. As the lightest and strongest armor panels ever developed, Hardwire vehicle armor gives critical protection and valuable decision-making time to police officers when the right decision is what matters most.

The ballistic technology used and trusted by the U.S. military is mirrored in the B-Kit Add-On Vehicle Armor, where the armor is quickly and easily installed onto the outside of the vehicle door. Unlike other armor packages, Hardwire’s vehicle armor is under the door handle as well, limiting vulnerabilities from top to bottom and still allowing full functionality. Similarly, the Hardwire Transparent Armor Window In-

Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 47

SPECIAL REPORT Ballistic Panel/Armored Vehicle Options for Today’s Police Vehicles ANGEL ARMOR https://angelarmor.com/

sert fits into the existing vehicle OEM window opening, while allowing for regular window operation. Hardwire is 100 percent made in the USA with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.

New for 2021, the armor has been fitted for the new body styles of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and the 2021 Ford Interceptor. The sleek, lowprofile design and minimal weight causes no performance issues for the OEM vehicle. Stock armor in NIJ Level IIIA is available now for 14 different models, all typical police issues: • 2011–2021 Ford Interceptor • 2013–2019 Ford Interceptor Sedan • 2013–2020 Ford Fusion • 2011–2019 Ford Transit • 2017–2019 Ford F-150–F-550 • 2006–2016 Chevy Impala • 2003–2020 Chevy Express Van • 2004–2021 Chevy Tahoe • 2020 Chevy 2500 Silverado • 2018–2020 Chevy Traverse • 2014–2018 Freightliner Sprinter Van • Dodge Charger • Dodge Durango

Angel Armor’s AVAIL vehicle armor series features Level IIIA and Level III+ panels. Their goal is to easily and cost-efficiently transform fleet vehicle doors into shields, further protecting officers who keep our communities safe. Angel Armor panels are durable and simple to install.

All panels are discreet and weatherproof. Angel Armor IIIA panels are constructed of a proprietary technology that is not only remarkably strong, but also thin, lightweight, and weatherproof. The Level III+ panels are made of a premium steel plate packed with superior protective capabilities. Panels may also be removed and transferred to another vehicle of the same make and model.

Some of the key things to consider when purchasing vehicle armor are cost, protection level, and construction. For cost, you will want to consider both the price of the panel and the time it takes to install. Agencies may not be aware that there are great vehicle armor options available that are often lower priced than OEM offerings, and installation can easily be handled internally.

Protection levels can range from handgun threats all the way up to armor-piercing rounds. For domestic law enforcement, armor-piercing threats may not be applicable. You could argue that the associated weight and thickness of those panels might not be practical.

Construction is an important consideration that determines durability. How will the panel respond to extreme weather? What is the likelihood it could interfere with internal door components? Is the material prone to cracking or snapping from mounting brackets? These are all good questions to ask to make sure the panels will provide the expected protection over the lifespan of the panel and will not require taking a vehicle out of commission for panel repairs. Angel Armor’s panels are seamless, single-panel designs that conceal within the door.

Installation of Angel Armor’s panels is completed either by an upfitter partner or by the agency’s in-house fleet team. They intentionally made the installation process as simple as possible. Angel Armor’s engineers have designed a process that doesn’t require specialized tools or templates and there is no welding or cutting required. All their customers have access to a specialized team that quickly answers any questions that arise during installation.

Installed on the outside of the automobile, installation is quick and easy and can be done by Hardwire’s partner, Havis, or training information can be provided for fleet teams. Kits contain all necessary hardware.

The protective skin blends with OEM door and paint colors. Modularity offers the ability to remove the armor package and reuse on new life-model vehicles as decommissioned vehicles reach the end of their life cycles.

Hardwire’s patented solutions have been road, crash, and impacttested in real life, offering superb protection whether impacted with bricks, cinderblocks, or gunfire.

PFM_Sum20 PFM_SUMME

48 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021

PFM_Sum20 PFM_SUMME

SPECIAL REPORT Ballistic Panel/Armored Vehicle Options for Today’s Police Vehicles One of the most significant changes happening today is that more and more agencies are recognizing that this protection is necessary. What was once “nice to have” is becoming required life-saving equipment. Angel Armor is working hard to reduce the barriers to procuring this protection by offering low-cost, easy-to-install armor for a variety of police vehicle makes and models.

OUTBACK ARMOUR https://www.outbackarmour.com Outback Armour supports armored vehicles by providing design and engineered suspension solutions for 4x4 and armored vehicles that are fit for purpose and exceed customer expectations. This service is also supported with inventory, product knowledge, and customer service.

Outback stacked their company ranks with the best suspension engineers and product specialists. They pulled all the vehicles apart, and started the design process from scratch, free of legacy, with a targeted approach to creating their new suspension products specifically designed for vehicles with heavy armor.

Outback’s goal of cultural immersion in the customer environment is achieved via 100-percent owned and operated regional distribution centers in Australia, the Middle East, and North America.

Outback Armour service teams in each regional center support local distributor networks and customers with advice and product knowledge.

Outback’s qualifi ed distributors are key to ensuring that the customers’ vehicles are set up correctly and they continue to support their distributors to achieve this end.

Outback showcased the 2021 Tahoe PD suspension (Police Package) at the recent Police Fleet Expo in Richmond, VA. Th is suspension is designed to enhance the performance of police vehicles, reduce wear and tear on engine, transmission and drive train, and reduces the cost to police departments. Police vehicles require suspension that can handle not only the paved road but also perform when those rugged off -road evasive maneuvers must be performed. Drivers need the ability to maintain speed and controllability and this is exactly what Outback Armour provides.

FLAT BULLETS https://www.flatbullets.com/ Flat Bullets by Securassure has a wide variety of ballistic glass options.

Their UL752 Level 1 tested one-way Ballistic Curved Automotive Glass is fully functional in specific vehicles (i.e., Ford F150/250/350, Dodge Charger, and Ram 1500). It will fit most vehicles and stops rounds from the outside-in, but allows the defender to shoot inside-out. Their UL752 Level 3, 5, & 7 tested Ballistic flat automotive glass inserts can be offered with full-glass-area coverage or half-area coverage, depending on the needs of the agency. Finally, their UL752 Level III tested and NIJ IIIA tested Ballistic Door soft armor door panels are offered to cover the full lower door area.

When a fleet manager is purchasing vehicle armor, Flat Bullets recommends that specific requirements need to be determined first. The questions that need to be answered include: What level of protection is required? Handgun or Rifle rated? What rounds are you most worried about? Multi-shot or single-shot? How much coverage do you need armored on the vehicle?

Flat Bullets by Securassure specializes in manufacturing functional and high-use armor specific to the needs of the purchaser. However, they work with upfitting partners to help install the product regardless of the state they may be in.

Whether through insurance requirements or the strong desire for the safety and well-being of the employees, there is a growing need for ballistic armor in vehicles in many industries with fleets. This has expanded to include armor that will last long, is functional, and will allow for the safety desired. UL1-tested curved glass that is fully functional does just that. It is meant to stop the most standard rounds in the United States, which primarily are 9mm. Having one-way stopping power and functions much like a normal window would, the industry is quickly maneuvering to include this product into their line of defense.

As things change, Flat Bulletts by Securassure will continue to develop products to the ensure safety of our law enforcement partners.

Sergeant Brad Brewer is a 30-year member of the Vancouver Police Department. He was an eight-year member of the Ford Police Advisory Board and regularly gives presentations at law enforcement conferences on mobile computing, wireless technology and police vehicle ergonomics.

He can be reached at sgt1411@gmail.com.

810.844.6045 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021 49

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