Since 2013, the Chevrolet Tahoe has been the primary patrol vehicle for Pinellas County deputies.
With a greater scope of visibility, ease of getting in and out, and more space for equipment, the Tahoe was the best alternative when Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria.
Today, most of the marked PCSO patrol vehicles you see on the streets are 2017-2020 Tahoes, but soon, you’ll begin seeing the new 2021 Tahoe.
For law enforcement agencies, putting a new vehicle on the street is not as simple as “signing and driving.” For PCSO, large purchases of vehicles must go through a series of contracts, approvals, and bids before the vehicles get delivered. On average, that process can take four to five months, but recently, due to supply chain issues, the delivery of the 2021 Tahoes took over a year.
Deputies will likely find that they were worth the wait! Aside from significant changes to the design and mechanical upgrades over the previous model, the 2021 Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles or “PPVs” are packed with special features to support law enforcement applications, including specialized buttons on the steering wheel to control emergency lighting and Push-To-Talk (PTT) feature so that deputies do not have to take their hands off the wheel, a digital rearview mirror that displays a full view behind the vehicle without the obstructions of a traditional mirror, and an increased rear seat area to allow for the easier transportation of subjects.
The new PPVs arrive without many of the standard amenities found in regular Tahoe such as back seats and carpeting. Upon delivery to Fleet’s up-fitting facility, technicians customize the Tahoes by installing more than 50 components, including emergency lighting, sirens, push bumpers, partitions, specialized rear seats, and more. On average, installation of these components takes technicians 60 hours per vehicle.
