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Amanda Butterfield ReportingUtah Highway Patrol has a new ride. Soon, all the troopers will be in a new car that's faster and more fuel efficient than what they're currently in.
Forget the old Crown Victorias they're in now, it's the 2006 Dodge Charger that's taking its place.
UHP had to start looking for a replacement of the Crown Victoria because Ford is discontinuing the car in a few years. The Dodge Charger was picked because it has excellent get up and go for when troopers are chasing down speeders, and 340 horse power.
It also gets better gas mileage, and each Charger will have a digital camera installed in it, so video of high speed chasing and arrests will be much more clear.
Trooper Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "When we take video to court, they're much more clear. Suspects' hands, evidence looks like sitting on the hood of the car, it's much more detailed. What you're seeing here today is the future of the highway patrol fleet."
Another bonus of the digital cameras, the video is downloaded to a database once the trooper is in range of their building, and it will be accessible on demand. So no more running in a VHS tape and only having one copy.
It will take about three to four years to get all the troopers out of the old Crown Victorias and into the new chargers. There are about 350 troopers in the state who will be getting them.
