THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF'S VEHICLE DISPLAY TEAM
Believe it or not, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department has a 450 horsepower, fire breathing patrol car (sort of) that can blow the doors off a Chevy Corvette, Dodge Viper or any other high performance streetcar.
The car is a 1990 Mustang GT fastback coupe with a highly modified and supercharged five-liter V8 racing engine, automatic transmission and reinforced suspension. It is painted black and white with Sheriff's markings, carries full emergency equipment (light bar, electronic siren, 800 mgz multi-channel radio, etc.), and has a six-point roll cage as well as special racing seat belts. Only the sponsor's stickers, polished racing wheels, special tires, and the rumbling exhaust note let on that this is NOT Barney Fife's patrol car. The first question that most deputies have when they see it is, "Can I borrow it for a shift?" Unfortunately, it uses $5 a gallon racing gas, runs on soft compound (short tread life) racing tires, and is not 100% smog legal, so the only personnel authorized to use the Mustang are the Sheriff's Vehicle Display Team.
The San Diego Sheriff's Department Vehicle Display Team is a group of active duty and retired deputy sheriffs dedicated to educating and fostering positive attitudes and behavior among the young people of our community. Current team members are; Deputy Mike Hogate (retired), Deputy Gary Basey (retired), Deputy Eddie Higuera (Downtown Courts), Deputy Mark O'Connor (Encinitas Station), and Lt. Bill Hogue (Alpine Substation). The underlying goal of the Sheriff's Vehicle Display Team is to create and maintain a connection with San Diego's youth by using the Sheriff's Display Team's Mustang as an "icebreaker". The team attends dozens of functions and events across San Diego County and Southern California to display and demonstrate the Mustang and associated team vehicles. These events include local car shows, street "cruises", career days, DARE events, RaceLegal.com sponsored safer and sanctioned 1/8 mile drag races at Qualcomm Stadium, and other community happenings. Once the initial connection is made, members of the team can develop relationships with the young people that are specifically designed to foster mutual respect and understanding.
The mission of the Vehicle Display Team is threefold: 1) To attract the attention of and foster good relations with young people who might not usually interact with law enforcement in a positive way, 2) To use those good relations to persuade these youth not to street race, always drive buckled and embrace a sober life style, especially when behind the steering wheel, and 3) To promote law enforcement as a career.
The "fire breathing" Sheriff's Display vehicle made its public debut at the opening of the Sheriff's Museum in March of 2002. The Sheriff's Display Team has participated in over forty community and department events to date, several safer and sanctioned RaceLegal.com track alternative to illegal street racing events at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium as well as several anti-street racing assemblies at local high schools. The Mustang is always a crowd pleaser and has won several trophies at shows. Pictures of the car have appeared in national magazines and local newspapers have featured articles about the team's activities.
Since the Sheriff's Vehicle Display Team has no budget, they quickly became skilled at soliciting help from a variety of local businesses. Encinitas Ford helped assemble the engine, PG Series in El Cajon donated the wheels and tires, Code 360 Equipment provided the light bar, Auto Power built the six-point roll cage, and Co-Op Transmissions supplied the hi-performance transmission. The car was painted its' distinctive black & white by the auto shop students at Santana High School in Santee and the emergency equipment was installed by volunteers at the County Operations Garage. One of biggest supporters has been JBA Performance in San Diego who not only donated an excellent exhaust system, but also allowed use of their dynamometer and technical support.
Earl's Automotive in Los Angeles supplied the hi-performance front brakes and several fuel injection up-grades while San Diego Superchargers helped replace the entire fuel delivery system. The San Diego County Deputy Sheriff's Association donated $1,000 to help pay the team's operating expenses.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Display Team and its vehicles are part of a Sheriff Department wide COPPS project focused on deterring illegal street racing, always buckling up and strictly adhering to "0" tolerance in terms of alcohol/drugs when behind the steering wheel.