Strong words against crime, and good news for law enforcement came out of Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford police interceptors, such as the Explorer, Taurus and Fusion, are now available with U.S. Department of Justice standard Type IV protection against armor-piercing .30 caliber rifle ammunition. Which also makes them the only pursuit-rated police vehicles to offer such type of armor.
In case you’re wondering what the US Department of Justice standard is, here’s their very own description: “Type IV hard armor or plate inserts tested in a conditioned state with .30 caliber armor piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military designation M2 AP) with a specified mass of 10.8 g (166 gr) and a velocity of 878 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).” Got that?
According to Ford, this solidifies the commitment that the American auto manufacturer has with law enforcement, and represents results of years of testing with the sole purpose of improving a type of vehicle that has been stagnant for decades (referring to police interceptors).
Besides the protection to common areas like doors, etc. Additional body panels with ballistic protection can be added if desired by the purchasing entity, which could cover the majority of the vehicle with the hopes of keeping its occupants safer.
Source: Ford-Trucks
