LATHAM — Drivers in the Capital Region may have spotted a sleek new gray-colored, two-door New York State Police vehicle on the road this week. The vehicle, a Ford Mustang GT, is the newest addition to the State Police’s patrol fleet.
It’s one of 19 Mustangs State Police have acquired “to modernize traffic enforcement capabilities and enhance roadway safety across the state,” according to a news release. Troop G, which serves much of the Capital Region, took the car out on patrol for the first time on Monday.
The rest of the Mustangs are in the process of being outfitted with emergency lighting, communications and safety equipment before being deployed statewide in the coming weeks, according to State Police. The agency expects all of the Mustangs to be on the road by early to mid-summer, said State Police spokesperson Beau Duffy.
“These vehicles represent a thoughtful and strategic addition to our fleet,” Superintendent Steven G. James said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide troopers with the tools they need to safely and effectively carry out their mission. The Mustang enhances our ability to conduct traffic enforcement while reinforcing our commitment to protecting the public on New York’s roadways.”
Each vehicle costs approximately $48,000, which is about 30% less than an SUV patrol vehicle, Duffy said. This does not include the cost to outfit each vehicle, a breakdown Duffy said he did not have readily available to share with the Times Union Tuesday afternoon.
State Police currently have about 1,600 marked patrol vehicles, Duffy said, which includes a mix of SUVs and sedans. Duffy said the agency is currently in the midst of transitioning its patrol vehicles to all SUVs, including Ford Explorers, Dodge Durangos and Chevrolet Tahoes.
Dodge Charger sedans are currently included on the State Police patrol fleet but will be replaced by SUVs, Duffy added. It will be “a multi-year transition” that involves the replacement of an average of 300 vehicles per year.
“The SUVs offer better visibility for our Members and also for motorists when troopers are on a traffic stop or handling a crash,” Duffy wrote in a statement. “The Mustang was added as a traffic enforcement tool for highways, as it offers better performance and maneuverability to address speeding, aggressive driving and distracted driving, which are a continuing issue on many highways.”
The number of high-speed police chases across New York has surged since 2020, with car crashes and deaths increasing in tandem, according to a Times Union investigation published in June 2024. The increase in pursuits has occurred as more drivers flee police, often due to minor offenses that include traffic violations and property crimes, the investigation found.
This isn’t the first time Mustangs have been on the State Police patrol fleet — Beau said Mustangs were used for traffic enforcement in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Mustangs have a 5.0-liter V-8 engine with 486 horsepower and a 10-speed transmission, Duffy said. The new vehicles will not be utilized during the winter, Duffy added.