In the beginning, there was crime. The American Police had no choice but to step up to the task. But to do effectively, they needed cars. Fast cars. Cars that could match the performance of criminals and place the police on equal footing with those who wanted to pull a fast one on the laws of America.

And that was how the American Police entered the speed game. But unlike the average American who needed these cars for luxury and the occasional performance, the police needed these cars to protect the innocent population of America and act as a deterrent to crime in the future. And there’s no doubt that the Police had done a great job in progressively updating their auto-technology to keep up with what the time demanded.

The evolution of the cars used by the American Police hasn’t gone unnoticed. And even though we won't be able to cover all the iconic cars the police used, and are still using, we invite you to take a look at these cars and see how the police have upped their need for speed.

15 1899 Akron Ohio

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In case you were wondering the first police car used in the United States was The Akron Ohio, and yes, it was an EV. The Akron managed 16 MPH and had a range of 30 miles per charge. The car would carry 12 policemen. The more the merrier.

This car was essential in the response of the police to hot zones. But as the years rolled by, the Akron and the Ford Model T couldn’t match up the performance of other petrol-engine cars and had to be replaced.

14 1932 Ford Model-18

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Ford has always been one of the three players in the evolution of American police cars and it was a great introduction into the police force that helped even the odds between the police and the criminal elements. By the end of the Second World War, radios would be added to further increase the automotive efficiency of the police force.

13 1950 Chevy Bel Air

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Wearing the distinct black and white of the police force, the Chevy Bel Air was one car that enabled the police to measure up to the demands of their jobs. The car was heavy and its engine was able to generate 92 HP. Needless to say, this was the beginning of the muscle car era and the police cars of the time were becoming redundant.

RELATED: Man Restores Grandfather's 1957 Chevy Bel Air For 81st Birthday

12 1965 Dodge Polara Pursuit

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The Muscle car era was rising to its peak and the police had finally got something that could stand up to the bad guys and it was Dodge’s 1965 Polara Pursuit. This car had a massive V8 engine that was able to generate a top speed of 129 MPH, an impressive feat for the time. Obviously, with something like this, criminals weren’t so eager to initiate a chase with the cops. If you think that was great then the…

11 1968 Plymouth Belvedere

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The Belvedere was an excellent performance muscle car that was able to produce 145 HP and marshal a top speed of 101 MPH. Its aggressive performance and capability caught the very eye of the public and Plymouth decide to create a toned-down version of the Belvedere and that was how the Plymouths Roadrunner was born.

10 1969 Dodge Polara Pursuit

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Just four years after releasing the car that gave the cops an upper-hand in the game, Dodge released the ’69 Polara Pursuit whose incredible V8 engine could spout 375 HP and flaunted its 147 MPH top speed on Chrysler’s testing grounds, making it the fastest production cop car of the time. No doubt this vehicle contributed massively to the car chase prowess of the Police force.

9 1975 Chevy Nova 9C1

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Muscle cars everywhere in America were hit really hard during this time due to the emission laws that were becoming stricter and the oil embargo. The 1975 Nova 9C1 was a cop car that didn’t really fall behind.

In times when some cars struggled with an output less than 100 HP, the Nova had an engine that produced 170 HP and did just 125 MPH. Pretty low, but we understand that times were hard.

RELATED: Chevy Novas Are Cheap To Restore, But Should You?

8 1989 Plymouth Gran Fury

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The Gran Fury made its entry as a cop car during times when muscle cars, in general, were basically trying to survive. We doubt the police could really get much done from the 165 HP engine. But since muscle cars everywhere were taking a serious hit, we doubt criminals were able to really take advantage of this.

7 1993 Ford Mustang SSP

11. 1993 Ford Mustang SSP
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This car served as a lightweight police vehicle that was designed to help hasten the transport capabilities of the Police Force. By the time they were discontinued, the American Police force had bought almost 15,000 units, and these Special Service Package Mustang could reach 160 MPH. Almost as fast as some sports cars.

RELATED: 20 Ways Police Cars Are Better Than Regular Cars

6 1994 Chevy Caprice

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The Chevy Caprice was always locking horns with the Ford Crown Victoria to decide which would emerge as the ultimate Police car. The caprice was a great car that featured an LT1 engine capable of generating 260 HP. The Chevy Caprice, like its predecessors, also increased the performance of the police cars.

5 1996 Ford Crown Victoria

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Today, the Ford Crown Victoria has become the signature car of the American Police force but it wasn’t always like this because the Chevy Caprice was a huge challenge to its reign. But in 1996, the Victoria became the major police car because Chevy had chosen the production of SUVs over the Caprice.

The Ford Crown Victoria packed a massive V8 engine under the hood that was highly dependable. A factor that ensured their survival whenever they performed their duties.

4 2012 RAM 1500

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By 2012, the Police force was more than ready to welcome a new breed into the fold and it came in the form of a RAM 1500 specially packaged for police duties. The RAM is a sturdy vehicle that can withstand damage, travel off-road, and still deliver the performance that’s expected of it.

3 2013 Ford Taurus

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The Ford Taurus police interceptor was introduced as a replacement to our beloved, high performing, and dependable cop car, the Ford Crown Victoria. As of 2019, 67,480 units of the Ford Taurus had been brought into active police service. The Taurus flaunts its 365 HP and a top speed of 150 MPH, all thanks to a capable EcoBoost V6 engine.

2 2015 Dodge Charger

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Since their introduction to the Police force in 2006, Dodge Chargers have constantly used their speed for the service of the greater good. The aggressive look and performance of the Charger have more often proved enough to dissuade would-be criminals from a chase. And on more than one occasion these Police Chargers have intercepted several speeders.

1 2019 Ford Explorer

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The Ford Explorer is a really capable SUV that packs so much performance and dependability that the stables of the Police force are half-filled with Ford Explorers. The car comes with AWD and packs a special turbocharged EcoBoost engine that can see the car reach almost 150 MPH. The Explorer is the perfect car for the modern cop that has to carry more equipment than ever.

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