Associated Press Writer, Don Babwin
CHICAGO (AP) - Dozens of police departments in Illinois who joined a lawsuit alleging that a popular police cruiser is unsafe have dropped out because they said Ford Motor Co. threatened to stop selling them the cars.
Officials said switching from the Crown Victoria Interceptor to another vehicle would cost them tens of thousands of dollars, and the specially built police cruiser is still favored by many departments.
''''I think it’'s coercion by Ford,’''' said Trisha Murphy, a plaintiffs’’ attorney involved in the lawsuit.
Jim Feeney, an attorney for Ford, said approximately 120 police agencies in the state have dropped out of the lawsuit and more are planning to. He said the automaker just wants the departments to decide if they really want to sue.
''''The bottom line is either they are serious about the lawsuit and the claims in the lawsuit or they’'re not,’''' he said. ''''If you think the vehicle is unsafe - we don’'t - but if you do, don’'t expect us to supply you vehicles.’'''
The Crown Victorias have been the focus of legal battles since 2002, when municipalities around the country began alleging in lawsuits that the vehicles explode too easily in rear collisions.
Since 1983, at least 15 police officers nationwide have died in fiery crashes after their cruisers were hit from behind.
In the first class-action lawsuit over the Crown Victoria to go to trial, a jury in St. Clair County in Illinois ruled in October that the cars were safe, although an appeal of the ruling is likely. A judge still must decide if the automaker violated state consumer fraud laws.
Ford took its no-sale position with the police departments in 2003 when the lawsuit became class action, Feeney said. ''''Now it’'s two years later and they’'re looking to replace their fleets and all of a sudden they’'re becoming aware of the fact they can’'t buy any cars,’''' he said.
The Rolling Meadows Police Department is one of the departments that has dropped out of the lawsuit.
Deputy Police Chief Dave Scanlan said he did not even know his department was part of the lawsuit because he never saw a letter informing the city it would be included unless it expressly declined. The department found out about it when it was time to buy more squad cars.
''''We woke up and Ford wouldn’'t sell us any Crown Vics,’''' he said.
Officials in some communities have decided to stay committed to the lawsuit. The community of Northlake, for example, has decided to convert its small fleet of Crown Victorias to Chevrolet Impalas.
''''It just rubs me the wrong way that they can try and push everybody around,’''' Mayor Jeffrey Sherwin said.