Police cars are cool, okay? Given that the Taurus and Impala are on their way out, the Dodge Charger remains the only full-size option for the boys in blue, rear-wheel drive and all. Over in Canada, the police version of the Charger is known as the Enforcer.
Right off the bat, The Straight Pipes highlights that Dodge Law is responsible for these vehicles while production takes place in Brampton, Ontario. The reviewed car is equipped with a five-speed column shifter for heavy-duty driving, connected to the rear wheels and the Pentastar V6.
The 3.6-liter engine might not be potent (“pretty slow” according to The Straight Pipes), but Canadian law enforcement doesn’t do high-speed pursuits. Given these circumstances, 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque will have to suffice for the entry-level specification of the vehicle.
V8 options are also available (rear- and all-wheel drive), and given the history of the Pentastar cracking cylinder heads, the HEMI would be our choice for the Charger Enforcer. A different suspension with load-leveling Nivomat shock absorbers is also featured, along with heavy-duty brakes. The 18-inch steelies are standard too, wrapped in performance tires.
Considering the job, the Charger Enforcer isn’t as welcoming as the Charger because of the vinyl carpet, modified seats, and ballistic door panels. The center console and dashboard are full of equipment such as a keyboard for the computer that connects to the 12.1-inch touchscreen display.
The protective panel between the front and rear seats, rear-facing camera surveillance system, and two-mode electronic stability control round off the list of upgrades, along with the fourth auxiliary button. The latter makes “installation of upfit equipment easier as the system provides the appropriate power, ground, and fusing for a variety of lighting, siren, computer, modem, or camera systems.”
Dodge Law sweetens the deal with re-mappable auxiliary buttons on the steering wheel, designed to be programmed to operate aftermarket police equipment. Last, but certainly not least, the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 also features the five-speed automatic transmission with a steering column-mounted shifter.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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