California PD Driving Toward More Sustainable Fleet

The Hermosa Beach, California, Police Department is turning green. The department is moving toward a more sustainable fleet to comply with the city's Green Fleet Action Plan, adopted in 2013.

Nearly Halfway to Meeting its Goal

Of the 39 vehicles in the department's fleet, 17 of them comply with the Green Fleet goal, Hermosa Beach Police Public Information Officer Matthew Franco told Government Fleet.

Here's a rundown of the vehicles in Hermosa PD's fleet that comply:

• 1 Ford C-Max Hybrid.
• 5 Ford Fusion Hybrids.
• 2 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrids.
• 3 Nissan Leafs.
• 1 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
• 1 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
• 2 Teslas (Model Y and Model 3)
• 2 Zero Electric Motorcycles.

The department is the only one in the South Bay area -- which includes several coastal communities -- with all-electric vehicles in its fleet. 

Hermosa PD uses the Teslas for daily administrative tasks, as well as enforcement and investigative tasks, Easy Reader & Peninsula News reported. Looking at the list of vehicles in the department's fleet, it's obvious that there are different models from different OEMs. Franco told Easy Reader that one reason for buying the EVs was to evaluate their capabilities for police duties.

Future of Hermosa PD's Fleet

As vehicles in the department's current fleet meet the end of their lifecycle, HBPD and the Hermosa Beach City Council will evaluate vehicle needs and vehicles available on the market that could replace them and meet officer needs.

The department has participated in a demonstration of the Ford F-150 Lightning and may recommend it for the next patrol vehicle replacement, Franco told Easy Reader.

The department noted limitations in current models including vehicle size, battery life, and charge time.

At a recent council meeting, one resident questioned whether including the police department in the city's green fleet plan made sense, given the pressure the department already has dealing with its dasily duties.

"It is our hope that with continued development and advances in technology, a move to a complete Green Fleet in the future is possible," Franco told Government Fleet