Unusual Chrysler PT Cruiser

[simon c]

I saw a metallic orange PT Cruiser in Flinders St, Melbourne last week. Nothing unusual about that apart from the fact that it was a Police Car.

I looked up the Chrysler website and they said it was donated to the police Youth Advisory Unit in an effort to break down barriers between the police and today's youth. No photos unfortunately.

This raised these questions with me:
Should corporations be so connected with the police (it said it was sponsored by Chrysler on the side)?
Would a PT cruiser make a good police car?
Is orange a good colour for a police car?
Is it a good way of "breaking down the barriers"?

Not sure.

Simon

[Iain]

They also used to have a BMW Z3 with the essential well endowed female PC at the wheel, I wondered if she actually got through the academy.
Of course TMU also used WRX's marked and unmarked.

[Caliban]

I saw a metallic orange PT Cruiser in Flinders St, Melbourne last week. It was a Police Car.


Would a PT cruiser make a good police car?


Simon

It would be fine by me if every police car was a PT Cruiser. I could start outrunning cops in my commodore just like when I did when I had a fast motorbike.
Ah the good old days. The older I get the better I was.

[DanP]

This raised these questions with me:
Should corporations be so connected with the police (it said it was sponsored by Chrysler on the side)?
Would a PT cruiser make a good police car?
Is orange a good colour for a police car?
Is it a good way of "breaking down the barriers"?

Simon,

In answer to your questions, Corporate sponsors are the only way the department can get anything extra. A member at youth advisory would have done the deal with chrysler and then taken it to the department for approval. The department would have approved as they can then use the car that youth advisory would have had elsewhere.

The cruiser is not a police car. It's a car driven by police to make it look like were not driving a police car, as some of the delinquent types that Youth Advisory deal with would be put off by a police car.

As to colour, see above.

My personal opinion, which does NOT reflect the department's position remotely, is that the 'barriers' do not particularly need to be broken. I am dubious as to the effect of these advisory units, schools involvement and several other youth related departments. If you saw what these units do whilst being paid to do it you'd cringe. (RANT ON...) Two members from my office are currently on a youth camp. They get three meal claims a day, pre approved overtime (several hrs P/D) and they run around playing games and doing group exersizes for four days. In the meantime the rest of us have to ring an officer and beg for an hours overtime if we arrest someone. (...RANT OFF)

Dan

[simon c]

Thanks Dan, I have an idea of what your job might be.

Just one thing though, I understand your point about it not really being a police car but it's certainly not unmarked. I wish I had a picture of it as it is quite eyecatching.

Thanks,

Simon

[DanP]

That would have been part of the contract by Chrysler. It's about making kids go 'hey that's cool'

Dan