Forget the supercars of Dubai—America’s police fleets used to be lousy with high-performance pursuit vehicles specifically designed to scare would-be speeders into submission. The Ford Mustang SSP. The Chevy Camaro B4C. In the modern era, though, you still see an occasional Dodge Challenger pressed into duty, and the Charger can certainly get up and go, but those days are mostly over. That is, unless you live in one county in Georgia, where the sheriff’s department just acquired this Decepticon-looking 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Highlighted by the Georgia Law Enforcement Photos Facebook page, the Camaro SS belongs to the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, whose jurisdiction encompasses the southern Atlanta suburbs and exurbs. The department reportedly has a special “Sheriff Unit” car done up each year, and it’s used as both a daily driver by the sheriff and as a show car for community evcommunity eventsents and outreach.
Unfortunately, that means there are no plans to use the Camaro SS for traffic stops or pursuit duties. The original post notes that it’s a lease from a local dealership, which likely means there are no real modifications other than the police lights and accompanying electrical upgrades. (Though hypothetically, if the sheriff was driving to work and happened upon a high-speed pursuit, what’s to stop him from diving in?)
Regardless, that’s good news for anyone in Clayton County with a lead foot, because between its 6.2-liter, 455-horsepower V8 engine and complete lack of markings, this Camaro would be a formidable patrol unit. Also, that sci-fi dystopian light show would scare the bejeezus out of us.
The department’s previous show car was a 2016 Ford Mustang, which might have been better suited for community outreach—if only because it doesn’t look like it wants to eat small children quite as much. And they’re clearly no stranger to both publicity and high-horsepower rides, having deputized NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal last year…and provided him with a similarly-styled Dodge Charger Hellcat police car.