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National police lobbying group sues FordModifications to Crown Victoria at issue
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A national police organization filed a lawsuit against the Ford Motor Co. Wednesday seeking the automaker to disclose modifications it is making to its Crown Victoria cars. The National Association of Police Organizations, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group for police officers, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, said the group's executive director. Explosions that resulted when Crown Victorias were hit from behind at high speeds have killed at least 12 law enforcement officers nationwide since 1983, according to federal investigators, police groups and public interest groups. Ford has said it will install shields around the gas tanks and make other modifications on police-issued Crown Victorias. NAPO attorney Michael Crow said Thursday that the group wants Ford to offer alternative modifications to the cars if that is what police organizations are demanding. "We will fight about who will ultimately pay later," he said. "The shields are inadequate," Crow said. "There are other safety enhancements they could offer." Added Bill Johnson, the executive director of NAPO, a Washington, D.C.-based federal lobbying group for police officers: "The lawsuit is not a personal injury suit, nor does it seek monetary damages.
"It was filed on behalf of law enforcement officers in the United States that drive the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor because the officers are presently exposed to an unconscionable risk of fire in rear-end collisions involving that vehicle." The Crown Victoria is used by a majority of police departments and highway patrols around the country. A Ford spokeswoman said the company plans to fight the lawsuit. "This is frivolous. The suit is meritless." Kathleen Vokes said. NAPO wants Ford to disclose the modifications so individual police departments can decide what changes they would make to vehicles to suit their assignments. In December, State Trooper Robert Ambrose died on the New York State Thruway when a sports-utility vehicle rammed into his Crown Victoria cruiser. The lawsuit cites Ambrose's death and seven other similar accidents. "Ford already has a list of safety modifications, but has not given it to the police," said Johnson. "We want a list of modifications. Police need that information so that they can improve safety."
Both NAPO and Ford said in September that Ford had agreed to pay for the installation of shields around the gas tanks on some 350,000 police-issued Crown Victorias across the country. But NAPO is questioning the effectiveness of the retrofits. Its lawsuit says the "enhancements are insufficient, inadequate and may increase the risk of fire/explosion." "Ford has recently offered a purported safety enhancement for the fuel system of their police interceptors at no cost to the owners," Johnson said. "But we believe those enhancements are insufficient and inadequate and may actually increase the possibility of fire explosion." Ford defended its action with the argument that all the accidents in question happened at more than 70 mph. "There is not a vehicle on the road that can withstand that kind of impact," said Vokes. "We already far exceed all federal regulations and guidelines. This is an outstanding vehicle. The vehicle is state-of-the-art and we are working with various police associations to make the car safer. " On December 26, the city of Dallas filed a state lawsuit demanding access to all Fords' records regarding the safety of the Crown Victoria.
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This is frivolous. The suit is meritless.
