The Commodore's final lap

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann

Photography: Sen Const Jake Thornton and supplied

They’ve been the backbone of the vehicle fleet for decades, but the end of the Holden Commodore era at Victoria Police is nearing.

A milestone was reached in recent months, with the last Commodores remaining in highway patrol duties hitting the road for the final time.

The much-loved V8 engine growl of the Commodore SS variant long used by highway patrol units has been replaced by high performance BMWs.

With local car manufacturing having ended in recent years, the Commodores are the last Australian-made vehicles in the Victoria Police fleet.

Sergeant Jason Doyle, who has spent much of his career in highway patrol units, is sad to have seen the Commodore SS go.

“These cars have been excellent servants for Victoria Police highway patrol over the years,” Sgt Doyle said.

“They accelerate well, they brake well, they handle magnificently on the road and they’re also very robust.

“No matter what we throw at it, they can handle it.

Officers in 1986 carefully take a Commodore through flood waters after the Maribyrnong River broke its banks in Van Ness Avenue, Maribyrnong.

“They’ve stood the test of time and it’s a sad day to see them go, even though we do have magnificent replacements in the BMW.”

Sgt Doyle’s love for the Commodore hit a high point in 2017 when it kept him safe from a rampaging truck driver in Campbellfield.

He and his patrol partner were driving an unmarked VFII Commodore SS when they intercepted the truck driver for using his mobile phone.

“We had pulled over in a large car park and my partner gave him a ticket,” Sgt Doyle said.

“The driver was going off tap, so I said, ‘Let’s go’ and we drove off through the car park.

“While I was waiting for a break in the traffic, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the truck barrelling towards us.

“We had no time to react and it hit us hard.

“The car took the blow and protected us both from injury.”

The officers quickly called for urgent backup, got out of the crumpled Commodore and arrested the driver.

“No wonder I love those cars,” he said.

Former police officer and long-time highway patrol member Allan Edwards recalled a Commodore SS he and his colleagues at Melton Highway Patrol nicknamed “The Taxi”, due to its distinct yellow paint job and blue and white chequered pattern.

The yellow paint scheme on this VZ Commodore SS meant police affectionately nicknamed it “The Taxi”.

Mr Edwards and Leading Senior Constable Shane Roberts were once doing a drive-through in the bright yellow vehicle at the Diggers Rest Football Club car park, where an end-of-season party was being held.

“A drunken bloke comes running over to the car and says, ‘Who are you here to pick up?’” Mr Edwards said.

“I said, ‘No one in particular, but for anyone who wants to volunteer, I’m guessing they won’t like where I end up taking them.

“He looked kind of confused, so I said, ‘Step back and have a better look at the car’.

“He did and then laughed when he realised it was a cop car and not the taxi he had ordered.”

This one-off Holden VZ CV8 Monaro was given a special paint job to mark the 2006 Commonwealth Games being held in Melbourne.

Transport Services Division manager Frank Melilli said Victoria Police has used Commodores ever since the model first rolled off the production line in the late 1970s.

“Yes, we’ve lost the great SS but the replacement, the 5 Series BMW, is brilliant and has just about every safety feature known to man, and that’s our top priority,” Mr Melilli said.

“They’re like a German tank, these things, they’re very well built.”

In April 2007, Victoria Police launched its VE Commodore SS “Smart” car at Calder Park Thunderdome.

Victoria Police now has fewer than 180 Commodores in its fleet, mostly working in general duties and other uses across the organisation.

“But they’re all in runout mode and will be replaced by vehicles like the Hyundai Sante Fe, Kia Sorrento or Volkswagen Tiguan,” Mr Melilli said.