Newport Beach Police Department unveils newest patrol vehicle

A new Newport Beach Police Department patrol vehicle hit the streets earlier this month.

The department’s newest black-and-white is a 2024 Dodge Durango. It cost about $50,000 to purchase and an additional $20,000 to outfit with equipment necessary for a patrol car like lights and sirens, NBPD Sgt. Steven Oberon said.

The Dodge was unveiled in a social media post on Oct. 3. It replaces a Ford Explorer that had over 120,000 miles on the odometer, Oberon said. The switch in manufacturers was the due to “availability, perrformance and price,” he said.

“We have had three years of Ford Explorer orders canceled on us by Ford — common among many departments now,” Oberon said in a statement.

The department was in the process of converting its fleet of patrol vehicles into hybrid Ford Explorers, but availability issues at auto manufacturer have prevented NBPD from acquiring more, he said.

The department is continually evaluating other vehicles for potential police use, including fully electric vehicles, Oberon said. However, that option is not feasible at the moment because Newport Beach lacks adequate EV charging infrastructure.