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Westchester Police Test New Patrol Car Models At Playland Parking Lot

RYE, N.Y. -- Police from across Westchester County burned rubber as they tried out new police car models at the annual Fleet Equipment & Demonstration Day Tuesday in the Rye Playland parking lot. 

Westchester County Police Deputy Mark Voeltz tried out a Dodge Charger in the Emergency Vehicle Obstacle Course Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

Daily Voice reporter Brian Donnelly took a ride in the new Chevy Tahoe police patrol car model.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

Daily Voice reporter Brian Donnelyl took a ride in the new Chevy Caprice model.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

Dozens of community police departments from Westchester and the surrounding area came to exhibit and see the vehicles and equipment being used and new models.

Officers and fleet managers drove the newest generation of police motorcycles and vehicles through an obstacle and competition course.

Some of the patrol cars included the Ford Interceptor, Chevrolet Caprice, Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Charger and Dodge Charger V8. 

Scott Vandekerckhove, product specialist for North American Vehicle Services, said bringing together all manufacturers makes it easier for them to connect with police departments. 

Sgt. Andrew McNulty of the Westchester County Police Department said the "one-stop shopping" nature of the event also helps the various police departments. 

"We all have different needs in our departments depending on what our capabilities are," he said. "This gives us an opportunity to get into the different cars offered by the different manufacturers, all in one stop - one-stop shopping so to speak - and see the positive attributes, maybe some of the negatives for the others, and decide what fits our given needs."

Mark Voeltz, a deputy with Westchester County Police, said he liked the Dodge Charger V8 because it had better handle in the front end, as opposed to the Chevy models that he said are rear-wheel drive. 

Jeff Eagan is a police office with the Carmel Town Police and said he liked the Chevy Tahoe because it had a lot of space, which helps when you have a lot of equipment to store. 

"The goal is to provide awareness to first responders in the region of the equipment and capabilities that exist should a natural disaster or large-scale incident occur that requires a shared response," according to a press release by the Westchester County Police Department. 

DPW personnel also had a forklift challenge in which they had to pick up a basketball using a forklift, navigate a cone course and drop it in the hoop.

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