By the end of the year, the freeway police authorities in Bielefeld, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne and Münster will receive 105 Mercedes Benz Vito vehicles. A further 75 vehicles are to follow by the end of 2023. "The continuous modernization of the NRW police vehicle fleet is an ongoing task and challenge," says Thomas Roosen at the press conference to present the new vehicles for the freeway police.
The patrol cars are in use around the clock and offer police officers a modern and safe workplace. "In addition to safety, the feel-good factor also plays a major role in the procurement of vehicles," explains the head of the LZPD NRW. Sufficient space was also a wish expressed by colleagues in the field. A so-called equipment carrier has been designed and installed in the trunk of the vehicles. "Everything has its place and is easy to reach and use. For me, it's a bit like 'Tetris' in optimized form," says Thomas Roosen.
With 239 hp, the vehicle offers a powerful engine that plays an important role for the freeway police. The large-format stop signal in the rear window provides early warning of danger. In addition, some vehicles are equipped with a hinged warning sign on the roof, which can be extended during operation to provide warnings.
When colleagues tested various vehicle segments on site, the minibus came out on top. With the Mercedes Vito, a patrol vehicle was procured that offers the best possible mix of outstanding driving characteristics, safety, seating and operating comfort as well as maximum payload capacity. The visibility of the large vehicles alone is a clear plus.
In NRW, the Mercedes Benz Vito is already being used as a "normal" emergency vehicle off the highways.