It’s off to retirement for the last in-service Crown Victoria at the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). After going for a special “farewell” patrol shift in Phoenix recently, this classic cop car assigned to our Agency Support Division was stripped of its police equipment and delivered to state auction to begin a life of leisure.
A staple for law enforcement agencies across the United States for many years – especially the late 1990’s into the 2000’s – the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor was known for being spacious, maneuverable, and reliable. As evidenced here, they were a common sight on Arizona’s highways for many years.
However, Ford stopped production of all Crown Victorias in 2011 as many police departments moved on to sport utility vehicles (SUVs) as their standard patrol vehicles. As the Crown Victorias aged out of the regular patrol fleet, the remaining sedans were used for other professional purposes or sent to the driving track for training.
The last marked Crown Victoria assigned to our Highway Patrol Division was stationed in the Willcox area until it was sent to auction in July of 2022.
Today, many of our Highway Patrol Division troopers are assigned SUVs such as Chevrolet Tahoes or Dodge Durangos, which offer enhanced safety features, versatility, improved fuel efficiency and more storage space.
