LOWELL | The Indiana State Police have issued new high-performance patrol cars to one trooper in each of the 18 state police districts.
Each trooper is driving a 2008 Ford Mustang GT with a 4.6-liter, 300 horsepower V-8 engine and an automatic transmission.
The Mustangs were ordered in various colors and are "ultra plain" to blend in with normal traffic, police said. Each of the Mustangs is equipped with interior lighting, multidirectional radar and an electronic ticketing system.
Senior Trooper Steve Caylor, a 12-year veteran who lives in Porter County, is driving the Mustang in the Lowell District, which serves Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Pulaski and Starke counties. He underwent training unique to operating a high-performance car.
Police said the mission of the Mustang program is to reduce the number and severity of crashes on high-risk roadways throughout Indiana through public education and strict traffic enforcement.
Other departments, like the Valparaiso Police Department, use unique vehicles to make motorists think twice before driving aggressively or recklessly.
