Bradenton Police Department’s Last Crown Vic To Be Auctioned

The Bradenton Police Department is retiring its latest 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, also known as the Crown Vic among car enthusiasts.

The department said Monday the vehicle, the last of its kind in their police fleet, will be auctioned off.

Meredith Frameli, a police public information officer, told the Bradenton Herald on Tuesday that the car will be auctioned off at Tampa Machinery Auction, but she doesn’t know when.

Before the keys are handed over to the new owner, the car will most likely be stripped of any BPD symbols, including the light bar on top.

For nearly 30 years, the Crown Vic has been a reliable service vehicle. When most drivers notice the car’s grille in their rearview mirror, it attracts the same attention as an officer displaying his badge. It could also explain why reckless drivers choose to drive more carefully when encountering the Vic in traffic.

The Crown Vic is also one of the most well-known vehicles in popular culture. According to Internet Movie Car Database website, the automobile has appeared in 4,877 movies and TV series, the most of any vehicle. The Ford Mustang is the second.

The car was hailed as “the best muscle car that ever wore a uniformby a New York Times reporter in 2013.

Crown Vics have so far been phased out as service cars for most agencies since Ford ended production in 2011.

The Bradenton Police Department‘s current fleet consists of Ford Explorers, Chevy Tahoes, Dodge Chargers, Ford Taurus and a few Chevy Caprices.

Another one car popular among police forces is the Chevy Caprice. The Caprice has a V-8 engine and can reach a top speed of 188 mph.

Farmeli, on the other hand, says senior ministry officials think the Crown Vic is “the best!”

Going forward, the department has opted to use SUVs primarily for patrol duties due to additional gear storage, larger water capacities, and passenger space.