Heavy demand by police agencies nationwide for Ford Explorers is forcing Door County to hold on to older patrol vehicles longer.  Ford is redesigning the Explorer into a gas/hybrid model.  The current gasoline-only model is popular with police agencies.  When Ford announced the redesign, the company placed a deadline on orders for the current models.  So many police agencies placed orders that Ford limited deliveries and Door County has received two of the eight ordered.  Chief Deputy Pat McCarty says that leaves all police departments and dealers in an uncertain position.

McCarty says the department can get by with the high-mileage vehicles it has, for now.

Ford is shutting down production on the gasoline-only Explorer line in February and will begin production on the gas-hybrid police interceptor models in June.

(Photo from Ford.com)