Los Angeles, CA - Machinery And Equipment by Matthew Paolini

As one of the biggest law enforcement departments in the country, the Los Angeles police department possesses the very best in transportation machinery and equipment. To efficiently patrol the almost 500 square miles comprising the city of Los Angeles, the department uses a variety of vehicles; sedans, motorcycles, and helicopters.

In the first category category, the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the sedan of choice for patrol. It is the only vehicle, which, following department policy, is allowed to engage in a vehicle pursuit. The cars are black with the roof, doors, and pillars painted white, a color combination in use since around 1940. Available options include handlebar lamps, sixteen-inch steel wheels, and front door ballistic panels.

Moving on to vehicles with two wheels, Kawasaki Police motorcycles are the most common in the motor pool, along with some Harley-Davidsons and BMWs. The cycles are also painted black and white, and hold a radio, communication equipment, a shotgun and documentation used by officers. During rainfall, motorcycles are garaged and sedans are exclusively utilized for patrol.

In the airborne vehicle variety, the Los Angeles police department maintains the second largest non-military airforce in the world, containing 21 helicopters and one fixed wing aircraft.

In non-motorized vehicles, bicycles are extensively utilized as transportation equipment by the LAPD. Cycle units are especially used during special events to provide fast and easy police assistance. The units sometimes patrol a 10-25 miles area during any given event. Giant is the manufacturer of the bicycles used by the department.

There is also an equestrian unit containing about 35 police horses. Usually used during special events, specially trained police officers ride the horses to effect crowd control. Though horses are not viewed as vehicles in the traditional sense, they do efficiently convey officers to various points in a particular beat.

Matt Paolini is an transportation writer for CityBook.com, the family-safe Los Angeles Yellow Pages, which carries an extensive directory on Los Angeles commercial equipment and supplies.

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