The Ford Crown Vic is the standard police vehicle in America. They aren’t really fancy, but they work.
Over in Europe, where BMW has long been a significant supplier to the UK police, things are a little different. As a result, police cars from the BMW 3-series, 5-series, and X5 SUV are all fairly widespread. Although having fast automobiles is not rare for cops, choosing a BMW seems odd given the brand’s unreliable reputation.
And as a result of a string of engine fires following high-speed pursuits, numerous UK police departments have been compelled to abandon their BMWs.
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Fears that the replacement of powerful police BMWs with “Peugeot estates” and “Vauxhall vans” may jeopardize public safety
It has been suggested that when police switched out fast BMW automobiles for slower ones, public safety may now be at risk.
The Chronicle learns that traffic cops and armed response teams utilized the fleet of BMW X5s, which Northumbria Police has acknowledged it has decommissioned as a “precautionary measure.”
The decision to ban BMWs was made in response to the death of PC Nick Dumphreys, a police officer from Cumbria, who was driving a BMW patrol car that allegedly caught fire on a highway.
According to the force, the cars have been replaced, and the modification has no effect on how quickly police can respond to emergencies.
The Chronicle was informed by a source that there are worries that the replacements are insufficient and may endanger the public.
They said that the vehicles that motor patrol officers and armed response teams are currently using—Vauxhall vans and Ford Rangers being employed as armed response vehicles (ARV) and Peugeot estate cars with 1.2L engines being used by traffic cops—are not powerful enough for the work they do.
According to the source, utilizing underpowered vehicles has a substantial impact on response times because of the vast territory that Northumbria Police cover.
“1.2 Peugeot estates, which are only intended to be deployed as beat cars, are standing in for traffic cars in motor patrols and are anticipated to continue pursuits.
They represent a significant decline. We’re talking about replacing high-performance automobiles with 1.2 estates that are incapable of keeping up with any suspicious vehicles during pursuits.
The most major issue is that the armed response is unable to deploy fast BMW response cars and is instead required to use beat vans and slow 4x4s, which are clearly inadequate when a task arrives from a distance.
It’s absurd that there doesn’t seem to be a serious attempt being made to resolve the fleet difficulties. I firmly feel that the lack of suitable cars puts the public’s safety at danger.
The ability of Northumbria Police to respond to situations, according to a spokesman, has not been impacted by the changes.
“Following a review of our fleet, the force took a preventative measure to remove a select number of cars from service,” he said.
These were swapped out for different cars, however this did not affect our capability or response time.
Police In The UK Are Forbidden From Using Some BMWs For High-Speed Pursuits Due To Safety Concerns
According to reports, a number of police departments in the UK have been compelled to get rid of the BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, and X5 vehicles they had in their fleets because of fire safety issues.
local newspaper After receiving information from a Durham Police whistleblower, The Northern Echo published the first article on the subject. After local police officer Nick Dumprheys passed away in 2020 when his BMW police cruiser caught fire while responding to an emergency call, traffic cops and firearms officers were instructed not to drive faster than the posted speed limit in the affected BMW models.
It is known that the 3.0 liter straight-six diesel engine in BMW’s 3-Series, 5-Series, and X5 models is subject to the recall. Many police departments in the UK employ these cars for high-speed chases.
According to the whistleblower, the decision prevents Durham police from “pursuing any car.” According to Chronicle Live, certain other law enforcement agencies, like Northumbria Police, have been compelled to start employing Vauxhall vans, Ford Rangers, and Peugeot models with 1.2-liter engines for traffic enforcement.
The use of underpowered vehicles “seriously affects response times given the enormous area Northumbria Police cover,” a source told the publication. “In motor patrols, 1.2 Peugeot estates that are only intended to be employed as beat cars are used as traffic cars with the expectation that they will continue pursuits. They represent such an enormous decline. We’re talking about replacing high-performance vehicles with 1.2 estates that are incapable of keeping up with any suspicious vehicles during pursuits.”
BMW claims that the problem primarily affects vehicles utilized by police personnel and has no bearing on publicly available N57-powered 3-Series, 5-Series, and X5 models.
According to a BMW official who talked to The Northern Echo, “We have been working with the authorities on a technical matter related to a small number of special high-performance vehicles for some time.” “This problem is connected to the specific manner in which the police use these powerful vehicles. Because of the additional stress this particular usage profile places on key components, BMW has designed a customized maintenance schedule for these cars.”
UK law enforcement has been instructed to stop driving their BMWs because they cause the vehicles to catch fire when they do.
You may hear some clunks, wails, or the grinding of gears while you are driving your automobile improperly to alert you that anything is wrong. However, police in the UK have now been instructed to stop operating their BMWs because they were doing it so incorrectly that they kept catching fire.
Either that, or the BMWs were so opposed to being employed as police cars that they stopped it on their own. Possibly never.
Whatever the cause of the fires, it appears that a concerning number of BMW police cars have started burning on UK police forces. Particularly, after being employed in fast pursuits, police vehicles powered by the outdated N57 diesel engine have begun spouting fire.
The problem affects police BMWs equipped with the N57 3.0-liter straight-six diesel engine, according to Car & Driver. Strangely, it doesn’t seem to be a problem with cars owned by morally upright people. The ones who aren’t police officers, you know.
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From the report:
“This problem is related to the specific manner in which the police use these powerful vehicles. Because of the additional stress this particular usage profile places on specific components, BMW has designed a customized maintenance schedule for these cars, the firm said in a statement. No action is required with regard to any civilian cars.”
BMW vehicles including the 3-series, 5-series, and X5 SUVs are used by police agencies all around the UK. They perform a variety of tasks, including transporting police and serving as interceptors.
However, some agencies have grounded the vehicles after multiple fires in the UK damaged BMW police cars.
Police in Durham, England’s north, have switched from using three-liter BMWs to “Peugeots equipped with 1.2-liter turbocharged engines,” which is a particularly dismal change.
BMW hasn’t confirmed the precise nature of the issue, but claims it won’t impact privately owned BMWs, according to Car and Driver. Therefore, be careful not to drive your BMW like a police car if you don’t want it to spontaneously catch fire.
English Police Vehicles
As drivers, we are used to seeing police cars driving around on British roads. Most frequently, we observe members of Her Majesty’s police force operating common hatchbacks and sedans, such as the Skoda Octavia and Vauxhall Astra.
However, occasionally you can encounter the police operating a vehicle that is a little more exotic. This is due to the fact that the police occasionally purchase more powerful cars to fight with criminals operating an equally fast vehicle. As an alternative, it’s not uncommon for the cops to work up a deal with producers as part of a publicity stunt that gives them access to some delectable engines.
We thought we’d spotlight five of our favorite police vehicles because we’ve seen some amazing machinery driven by them throughout the years.
What model BMW drive police?
Due to a fire danger, a number of BMW police cars in the UK have been placed on restricted use. Due to the fact that the issue only affects earlier models with different engines, BMW police cars in Australia are unaffected.
Following several BMW police cars catching fire in the UK, the German automaker has given the all-clear to about 800 BMW police cars in Australia, which are frequently deployed as highway patrol vehicles in NSW and Victoria.
The issue was brought to light in 2020 after a UK police officer perished as a result of his car catching fire as he was attending to an emergency call, according to the Northern Echo newspaper.
According to BMW Australia, the highway patrol in NSW and Victoria uses later BMW models with different engines, therefore police cars in Australia are unaffected.
The 3.0 liter, six-cylinder, “N57” engine powering the BMW police cars in the UK that may catch fire is a problem.
However, the more modern “B57” 3.0 liter six-cylinder diesel engine or the “B58” 3.0 liter six-cylinder petrol engine are what BMW police cars in Australia are equipped with.
“BMW vehicles given to the police in Australia are unaffected,” claimed a statement from BMW Australia. “Models issued locally are the G30 and G31 5 Series loaded with the B57 engine, and G05 X5 petrol model fitted with the B58 engine.”
In addition to a handful of high-performance Volkswagen Passat and Mercedes-Benz wagons, the Victoria Police fleet contains a mix of BMW 5 Series sedans, wagons, and SUVs for highway patrol.
For highway patrol duties, the NSW Police fleet consists of a mixture of BMW 5 Series and Chrysler 300 SRT V8 cars.
However, as the Chrysler 300 SRT V8 nears the end of the line, the BMW X5 might soon be introduced to the ranks of the NSW highway patrol.
The following remarks were made by the firm regarding the safety issues with BMW police cars in the UK to the Northern Echo newspaper:
“We have been collaborating with the police on a technological issue involving a small number of unique high-performance automobiles for a while.
“This problem is connected to the specific manner in which the police use these powerful vehicles.
Because of the additional stress that this particular usage profile places on some components, BMW has designed a customized maintenance schedule for these cars.
Why do British police officers operate BMWs?
Due to the mandated light duties, less suitable vehicles are now being utilized in place of BMWs, which are typically used as interceptors and to transport guns officers (bearing in mind that police in Britain are not frequently armed).
Which model BMW do cops drive?
There have been some intriguing motorcycle manufacturers. The BMW R 1200 RT-P is the most popular CHP.
Over the years, police forces have used a variety of unique modes of transportation, including horses in NYC, Brabus rockets in Dubai, and even helicopters when they were on the chase. Law enforcement must be prepared for any circumstance.
The addition of the motorcycle to the police fleet was only natural. Of course, its size and fast acceleration helped cops navigate traffic and apprehend more nimble drivers.
A few intriguing motorcycle manufacturers have worn police uniforms; you might be surprised by some of them. The competition to be chosen as the brand to represent a police sector is another aspect that can surprise some people or might not.
The BMW R 1200 RT-P is a common police motorbike today, proudly sporting the CHP and LAPD badges.
How quickly can a police BMW travel?
- To 999 motors with N57 engines, the instructions have been given.
- According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, there might be a problem with older vehicles.
- after the 47-year-old PC Nick Dumphreys died in his burning BMW
Police officers responding to emergency calls have been warned to drive slowly in some of their older BMWs due to safety concerns.
999 vehicles with N57 engines under the hood have received the instructions.
Armed and traffic policemen have been instructed by police commanders not to exceed 20 mph in pursuits.
This has the unintended consequence of limiting police vehicles to driving at a maximum speed of 90 mph while engaging in a pursuit on a highway.
According to BMW, the problem only exists with specialized police vehicles because of the manner they are operated.
Sharper acceleration, braking, and longer periods of speed are indeed characteristics of emergency calls.
999 vehicles with N57 engines beneath their hoods have received the instructions.
It follows the passing of PC Nick Dumphreys, 47, who was killed when his BMW caught fire.
Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods, who oversees police driving for the National Police Chiefs Council, stated: “We are aware there may be a problem with some older vehicles in our fleet and we are taking urgent measures to ensure this is resolved, including issuing assistance to forces.
The National Association of Police Fleet Managers and the Chiefs are collaborating to assess any hazards.
“At this time, ensuring the safety and long-term integrity of the equipment our police use is our top priority.”