Milwaukee Police Department announces new hybrid fleet

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Police Department introduced a new fleet of Hybrid cars Friday, June 11. Ten new Ford Police Interceptor Utility cars will be used by the department in its effort to help the environment. 

The city's goal is to cut its emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reduce its emissions to net zero by 2050. 

"To reach our targets we need more clean fuel vehicles on the road," said Mayor Tom Barrett at a press conference Friday. 

The engine uses less fuel by switching to battery when idling or at slower speeds. 

"So while on patrol at traffic stops of on the scene of a call you might have the engine in the car running," said Mayor Barrett. 

He estimates each car will save about $3,000 in fuel a year, recuperating the costs for the new cars in just the first year. 

"We are committed to bringing more carbon vehicles in the future," said Acting Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. 

Normal says there are challenges to using fully battery operated vehicles, like charging time. 

"Until the technology can have some way of dealing with a 24-7 particular operations, those are some of our challenges," he said. 

A new interdepartmental electric vehicle planning group will continue to focus on the department's carbon footprint. 

The Milwaukee Police Department plans to have thirty more hybrid vehicles in use by the end of the year. The department uses about 400 frontline vehicles.