Dodge Chargers in Central Florida Counties?

[FirePix1075]

Hello,

My name is Michael Schwartzberg - I am a fire apparatus/emergency services photographer, having shot for many fire service publications (1stResponderNews, Fire Apparatus Journal, Firehouse Magazine, etc.) as well as for my website and to trade with other photographers across the country. My father, a longtime director of the New York City Fire Bell Club and an honorary FDNY Deputy Chief, and I will be visiting Central Florida February 20-24 for our annual emergency services photography trip.

I am hoping to photograph as many Dodge Charger police vehicles as possible during our travels, esp. any Florida Highway Patrol units.

If you aware of a LE agency operating marked Dodge Chargers in Orange, Seminole, Lake, or Sumter counties, please let me know here or offline via email. Thanks.


- Michael Schwartzberg
Fire Photographer
www.firepix1075.smugmug.com
mikefirepics@comcast.net/410-258-3465
Photographer, Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company (www.pvfd32.org)
IPN Dispatcher "MAR 137"
thewatchdesk.com - "firepix1075"
Sr. Correspondent, 1st Responder Newspaper (Mid-Atlantic Edition)
Member, International Fire Photographers Association

[Taylor13]

For FHP cars - http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/AllTroops/

Find the troop post in the area you are visiting, go to that troop post and ask to take pictures of the cars, I don't think they'd have a problem with that.

Same with the other PD's/SO's if no success finding them, find their station and go there and take pictures.

[FirePix1075]

thanks.. but the point of the post is that I am hoping people in the area can identify which agencies actually do have Chargers instead of us just driving around...... as it is our schedule will be pretty packed visiting firehouses...

[FL5OH]

Check out leoaffairs.com. They have a message board seperated by agency. You can ask directly. Hope it helps. Enjoy your trip.

[FL50]

Clermont PD, which is in Lake County, has some.

[StudChris]

Longwood just got a sweet new fleet, all with hemis, and all with awesome paint schemes.

[thatboatguy]

FHP Turnpike troop in Ocoee... (Turkey Lake Service Center) has several I know for a fact. I have seen a few at FHP Office off of 436 on the east side.

I Know Orange County Doesnt have any....... well none that I have seen....

But oh I do have a good vehicle if you want to take a pic of it.... a 2007 Crown Vic... only 82k miles.......... Only about 15 owners... Plenty of back seat action.... ha ha....

[kmagnuss]

It's not in the counties you want, but the North Port PD had them. Black/white...and Magnums too. They look sharp. (North Port is in South Sarasota County)

[FirePix1075]

Longwood just got a sweet new fleet, all with hemis, and all with awesome paint schemes.

Yeah, thanks. Shot one of them last April.

[StudChris]

Yeah, thanks. Shot one of them last April.

Yeah that's one of their aggressive driving cars (trust me, that pictures is nothing compared to what it looks like at night). Actually the guy who drives that is mad because the ones they just got a couple weeks ago have more horsepower haha. The new ones don't have that paint scheme, but they do have a pretty awesome black and white paint scheme (Longwood has a pretty awesome everything when it comes to equipment).

[FirePix1075]

Oh, didn't realize that rec'd more Chargers since we visited last April. Might have to make a return trip.

[sureshot015]

Yeah that's one of their aggressive driving cars (trust me, that pictures is nothing compared to what it looks like at night). Actually the guy who drives that is mad because the ones they just got a couple weeks ago have more horsepower haha. The new ones don't have that paint scheme, but they do have a pretty awesome black and white paint scheme (Longwood has a pretty awesome everything when it comes to equipment).

............and the tax payers I'm sure are very excited about the city's new purchases.

[StudChris]

............and the tax payers I'm sure are very excited about the city's new purchases.

As opposed to? The police department buying the city a park? The police department buying the city a skating ring? Departments get a set amount of money and they choose as they see fit. I'm pretty sure that all officers having rifles and good shotgun is a pretty good thing to spend the money on. And their shotguns were pretty old and off brand, not 2 or 3 year old 870s or anything. It's not like the Mossberg semi-auto shotguns are super expensive, they're close to or less (depending on the models) the price of 870s, and well less than a Benelli. The dodge's with hemis are also comparable in price to impalas and crown vics, with better gas mileage with most driving done in 4 cylinder mode.

Oh, and their tax payers actually like them. Yeah I know... weird concept for me too.

[FL5OH]

............and the tax payers I'm sure are very excited about the city's new purchases.
The city of Longwood gets a brand new fleet every year.

[StudChris]

The city of Longwood gets a brand new fleet every year.

Yep, and they sale their lightly used cars with very little mileage to other departments. It's a win win situation... other departments get a one year old car with (I believe) a transferable warranty and that isn't TOO beat up (due to Longwood's size), and Longwood gets a good deal of their money back.

[Mrpulo]

I don't really understand why Longwood PD needs dodge chargers with hemi's, the city is not that big and most of their officers are not really proactive.

[StudChris]

I don't really understand why Longwood PD needs dodge chargers with hemi's, the city is not that big and most of their officers are not really proactive.

I don't think the Hemi is as much about the get up and go (although it is nice), as it is the going down to 4 cylinders for 90% of the time, and still having an extra four when you need them. I wouldn't want to work there probably anymore than you would, but I can't hate on a place for giving their people good equipment.

[sureshot015]

I think there is something to be said when a city lays off public works personnel and subcontracts it out to a corporate entity as a "cost saving" measure, yet continues to replace its police department fleet yearly. In tough economic times government should to everything it can to keep jobs local; not subcontract it out. Every City in Central Florida; Seminole specificially has had to tighten their belts due to budget cuts. I just think it is a poor fiscal decision to drop people before you cut back on equipment. I'm not saying that an agency should keep a car for 10 years, however replacing cars yearly or every two years seems a bit excessive. If that type of fleet roation was the best way to go, you would see more agencies doing it.