State troopers at Georgia State Patrol Post 13 got a look into the future of highway law enforcement Tuesday with a visit from a prototype patrol car.

The new Dodge Charger could be the future for the GSP. Trooper Larry Schnall, public information officer and recruiter, drove the car from Atlanta during a recruitment drive at the local post. The GSP is evaluating the Charger as a possible replacement for the Ford Crown Victoria that troopers have driven for years.

“It’s a state-of-the-art vehicle that we’re testing right now,” Schnall said.

The Charger is fully equipped with all the aspects of a patrol car, including siren, lights and prisoner storage capacity. It also has special safety features such as four-way disc brakes and a variable braking system. The car is also equipped with a special handling system to make it more maneuverable.

But the best feature for troopers is speed, and the Charger has speed to spare. The car can reach top speeds of about 150 miles per hour and the powerful car can accelerate quickly. Troopers hope that the new patrol car will discourage lawbreakers across the state.

“Just the mere intimidation and presence of that vehicle will eliminate a lot of pursuits,” said Schnall.

Schnall said that more fast, high-performance vehicles are on the road today than ever and many drivers think they can flee and escape the state troopers. He said that motorcycle riders often try to get away.

“The public has the perception that if they’re in a high-performance vehicle that they can get away from us,” Schnall said. “Now we have the horsepower and handling capability to overcome any high-performance vehicle.”

Troopers hope that violators who see the Charger in the rear-view mirror will think twice before they try to escape. Should they still try to speed away, the patrol car should have the power to close the distance and end the chase quickly. Trooper Anthony Heath of Post 13 said that the chances of someone getting hurt in a wreck increase the longer a chase lasts.

“The longer it lasts, the higher the chance for something tragic to evolve from it,” he said.

The GSP is only evaluating the Charger right now, but Schnall said that if the machine tests well, each post could have one or two of the new vehicles within a few years. He said another benefit is that the Charger is less expensive than the Crown Victoria.

Schnall and the Charger were in town for a recruitment drive that included about 70 potential GSP recruits taking a test to qualify as a trooper. The recruits came from throughout the southern region, and Tifton was chosen for the testing site due to its central location and the new post on Highway 41.

“It’s a premier post, very nice, one of the best in the state,” Schnall said.



To contact reporter Dusty Vassey, call 382-4321, ext. 208.