The Georgia State Patrol is adding a different type of vehicle to its familiar fleet of patrol cars and SUVs — Ford Broncos equipped for off-road emergency response.

The Broncos are intended to give troopers another option when emergencies take them away from paved highways and into terrain where a conventional patrol vehicle may have difficulty operating.

The Georgia State Patrol’s responsibilities extend beyond traffic enforcement and crash investigations. According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, troopers also assist other public-safety agencies and respond to both natural and manmade disasters.

That can mean reaching areas affected by severe weather, flooding or other emergencies where roads may be blocked, damaged or inaccessible to standard patrol vehicles.

The Broncos retain the recognizable Georgia State Patrol appearance while adding the four-wheel-drive and off-road capabilities associated with the Ford SUV.

Photos of one of the new Broncos began circulating publicly this summer, showing the vehicle outfitted with extensive emergency lighting and Georgia State Patrol markings.

The addition continues a long history of GSP using different types of vehicles for specialized assignments. The Department of Public Safety maintains a large fleet that includes traditional patrol vehicles as well as SUVs, trucks and other specialty vehicles.

DPS Fleet Services is responsible for purchasing and managing vehicles allotted to the department, while emergency-vehicle technicians install and maintain specialized equipment such as emergency lighting and sirens.

The Broncos could be particularly useful in rural and mountainous portions of Georgia, including Northwest Georgia, where troopers may encounter unpaved roads, rugged terrain and areas that become difficult to access during storms or other emergencies.

Georgia State Patrol operates statewide through dozens of patrol posts along with specialized units that include SWAT, aviation, criminal interdiction, collision reconstruction and other operations.

The Department of Public Safety has not announced how many Broncos will ultimately be placed into service or where individual vehicles will be assigned.

Sources:

Georgia Department of Public Safety
Georgia State Patrol
Ford Pro