Focus on the 2021 F-150 Police Responder

Ford recently launched the all-new F-150 Police Responder model for 2021. The vehicle offers exclusive law enforcement features and is faster than a standard F-150, because in emergency situations, speed and acceleration are of extreme importance, said Greg Ebel, Ford police brand marketing manager.

“Shaving even a few seconds off response times can make a big difference,” Ebel said.

Here’s a closer look at the Responder’s power and handling, safety, exterior, interior, and available telematics.

Handling in Emergency Situations

Law enforcement officers must respond quickly and safely in various situations, so in engineering the F-150 Police Responder, Ford worked to balance the F-150’s power with improved handling.

The 2021 F-150 Police Responder comes standard with a new torque-on-demand transfer case with automatic four-wheel-drive mode that includes an electronically actuated clutch that automatically adjusts torque as needed. With this system, officers no longer must take their hands off the wheel to change between drive modes when going on- or off-road or when the road or weather conditions change. It also facilitates carrying more speed when cornering on dry pavement.

Also to boost handling capability, the vehicle rides on specially developed Goodyear LT265/70R18 LRC BSW Wrangler Enforcer all-terrain tires, which are designed to handle fast acceleration, high speeds and aggressive cornering on paved roads, and while enduring the heat generated at high speeds. It also provides exceptional off-road performance, according to Ford.

The Responder gets the F-150 FX4 Off-Road Package as standard to provide better off-road capability.

The police truck offers top towing and available payload capacity in its class. For departments that need to tow a boat, horse trailer, mobile command center, or other equipment, the F-150 Police Responder comes with standard towing capacity of 7,000 lbs. and available towing capacity of 11,200 lbs., in addition to its payload capacity of 2,030 lbs.

Speed

Ford touts the F-150 Responder’s top speed of 120 mph, which is significantly higher than a stock F-150. According to test results from the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Responder offers the fastest 0 to 60 mph, 0 to 100 mph, and quarter-mile times of any pursuit-rated police vehicle the agencies tested this year.

Engine

F-150 is available with a choice of six powertrains: 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 FFV, 2.7L EcoBoost V6, 5.0L Ti-VCT V8, 3.0L Power Stroke V6, 3.5L EcoBoost V6, or 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6. The F-150 Police Responder comes standard with the 3.5L EcoBoost paired with a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, both uniquely calibrated for law enforcement use.

Auxiliary transmission oil cooler and engine oil cooler is also standard on the Responder.

Bells & Whistles

Law enforcement customers get exclusive key options unavailable to the general public including a simple fleet key set that is low-cost and easy to replace. New this year exclusively on the Responder is the available Police Engine Idle that lets an officer remove the key and securely exit the truck without losing power to lights and sirens.

Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking is available on the F-150 Police Responder with a new temporary disable switch exclusive to law enforcement for use in applications like pushing a disabled vehicle out of traffic.

Also standard exclusively on the Responder:

• Certified police-calibrated speedometer
• Easy-clean vinyl floors and rear seats
• Red and white overhead task lighting
• Column-mounted shifter

Ford Pro Intelligence telematics services are available to police, government, and commercial customers.

Interior

Police-grade heavy-duty cloth front seats feature reduced bolsters for easy ingress/egress and overall comfort for officers while wearing duty belts. The Responder includes steel anti-intrusion high-strength steel plates in the front seat backs for officer safety.

A 40-blank-40 front seat configuration allows for easy installation of an aftermarket police center console. A front console-delete is standard, along with a rear power lug for easy access to power. Also standard is a universal top tray for aftermarket equipment mounting.

Ebel provided more detail on the seats and bolsters of the Responder, noting that the seats can provide comfort to law enforcement personnel who are in the vehicle for eight, 10-, and even 12-hour shifts.

“This is like their office, so we have to make sure the seats are extremely durable and they’re comfortable,” Ebel said. “If you’re on patrol and getting in and out of your vehicle, all day, without that larger side bolster, it is a lot easier to get in and out of the vehicle with a duty belt on.”

Responder Features Come from Officer Input

Ebel said Ford for many years has worked closely with the Ford Police Advisory Board to develop and refine its police vehicles.

The board includes current and retired U.S. and Canadian law enforcement officers who provide real-world input on what they and their colleagues need to do their jobs safely.

The available Police Engine Idle, choice of standard fleet keys or key fobs, temporary Automatic Emergency Braking disable switch, new darker vehicle interior and available new 360-degree beacon lighting are among the features on the 2021 F-150 Police Responder that Ford developed in response to input from the board.