DeKALB | Once considered an innovation of the not-too-distant future, working with and operating hybrid vehicles has become a part of the daily routine for the NIU police force.

The Toyota Prius, the first hybrid vehicle to be mass produced and marketed to a worldwide base of consumers since its 1997 unveiling in Japan, has grown to comprise eighty percent of the police department’s fleet since the university began testing the hybrid waters in 2004.

Two years later, regrets for making the switch are hard to come by.

‘Perfect car for the job’

“It’s done everything that it’s been asked to do,” said officer Marc Roccaforte, a staunch supporter of the Ford Crown Victoria, previously the department’s vehicle of choice.

Not only was Roccaforte a fan of the Crown Victoria in the field of work, but it has also been his personal vehicle of choice for years. Nevertheless, it did not take him long to warm to the Prius.

“I would have to say that it’s the perfect car for the job. It performs to the level that we need, and has done everything that we have expected,” he said.

Paying less at the pump

Undoubtedly, the biggest difference between the Prius and its predecessor is most noticeable in the dollar figures that set them apart.

“When we used the Crown Victoria, we were getting eight to ten miles per gallon,” said NIU transportation manager Bill Finucane. “With the Prius, we’re getting forty miles per gallon.”

Police officials said they’ve noticed the difference, too.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Roccaforte said of the Prius’ low gas consumption. “We are definitely saving the taxpayers’ money.”

Needless to say, those miles add up and equate to a huge financial gain for the university.

In the past fiscal year, the fleet of vehicles traveled 55,420 miles. In the Crown Victoria, such travel is estimated to consume about 5,833 gallons of gas; by comparison, the Prius only burned 1,352 gallons, an astronomical difference of about 4,500 gallons of fuel.

The switch to the Prius saved an estimated total of $15,828 in fuel costs, Finucane said.

Concerning acceleration, the Prius does not necessarily match up with the Crown Victoria; however, high-speed chases are becoming a thing of the past, and this is not a handicap for the model, said Lt. Matthew Kiederlen, who also believes that the vehicle is more maneuverable than its predecessor.

In terms of performance, police say the Prius has proven to be able to match up with any model out there. “I’ve noticed they can keep up with anything on the road,” said Finucane, who was so impressed by the Prius that he purchased one himself.

More than capable

Overall, the police department’s transition to the hybrid vehicles has proven to be a wise decision, both fiscally and in the line of duty.

“I’ve found that the Prius is more than capable,” Kiederlen said. He went on to state that the Prius, though smaller, is just as comfortable to operate as the Crown Victoria, while at the same time conserving energy and saving the university a great amount of money.

Though the NIU police department is in the minority of departments that have begun to utilize the hybrid vehicles, it may not be long before others follow suit. “We are contacted by others wanting to learn about doing this fairly regularly; I would say, once or twice a month,” Kiederlen said.

Justin Weaver is the University Police beat reporter for the Northern Star.