Ford equips new version of F-150 with mechanical and interior upgrades to make it the world’s first police pursuit-rated pickup truck.
Crime knows no boundaries. It can take place anywhere. Whether it takes place on roads or off of them, the 2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder is ready to help officers stop it.
Designed to assist sheriff’s departments in rural areas, border patrol agents, and the Department of Natural Resources, the Ford F-150 Police Responder is based on an F-150 SuperCrew with the FX4 suspension. A set of 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires get it over challenging terrain; underbody skid plates protect it from outdoor and inner-city hazards. Engineers recalibrated the brake system for police duty by upgrading the calipers and the friction material in the brake pads. They also enhanced the front stabilizer bar to improve the F-150 Police Responder’s stopping and handling.
Engineers recalibrated the brake system for police duty by upgrading
the calipers and the friction material in the brake pads.
Under the hood, there’s a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic helps translate those numbers into forward motion, which tops out at 100 mph. According to Ford, “A high-output 240-amp alternator is included to support on-board electrical devices, along with a police-calibrated speedometer, and engine hour and engine idle hour meters.” Thanks to its healthy engine output and class IV hitch, the F-150 Police Responder can pull up to 7,000 pounds.
The F-150 Police Responder’s upfit-ready cabin is as all-business as its exterior. The shifter is on the column. Both front seats (the center seat was removed to free up room for equipment) are covered in heavy-duty cloth, which conceals anti-stab plates to protect officers in the front row. The back row of seats and rear flooring is made out of easy-to-clean vinyl.
Thanks to its healthy engine output and class IV hitch,
the F-150 Police Responder can pull up to 7,000 pounds.
Look for the 2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder on streets and trails near you starting this fall. Just make sure that when you see it that its lights aren’t flashing at you in your rearview mirror.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
