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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
DEMAREST, N.J—It has hit local car thieves like a “Bolt” of lightning.
So says Demarest Police Chief James Powderley in describing the department’s newest and surely quietest vehicle: a battery-powered all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, the newest piece of equipment to join its fight against nighttime prowlers and car thieves.
Powderley said the stealthy, whisper-quiet vehicle has been used during nighttime reconnaissance and patrols to monitor the numerous, often unlit, local side streets watching for potential car thieves.
The car’s dark metallic grey coloring and “ghosted” reflective Borough of Demarest logo on its front doors makes it virtually impossible to identify as a police vehicle.
The vehicle cost approximately $35,000, said Powderley, noting the vehicle is currently not used for regular patrols—it needs more interior space—and the electric vehicle “is a multi-purpose vehicle…and it wears many hats.”
The chief said the vehicle was a budgeted item in 2018. He said the vehicle is not large enough to hold a cage across its interior width or all the equipment a police officer needs to carry on a regular shift.
‘Range is no problem’
Powderley said the code enforcement official frequently uses the vehicle, as well as the Community Emergency Response Team. The vehicle has an estimated 238-mile range from a single charge. The town has two vehicle charging stations, one by the Department of Public Works and one by the public library.
He said the New York City police department now uses Bolts for traffic enforcement and parking meter enforcement.
“The range is no problem, it’s the size that’s our problem…For specialized use and shared use, [it] makes sense,” said the chief.
Powderley said he is looking forward to a wider and bigger all-electric vehicle, not a hybrid vehicle, one of which did not perform well a couple years ago for the department.
“With the increased car thefts we’ve been having this has been a perfect fit for that,” said Powderley, who said security footage revealed potential thieves “jumping into the bushes” as the Bolt quietly passed driveways at night.
Following a demonstration of the vehicle, the department purchased the vehicle in August and the borough and police department have been putting it to use daily.
The chief demonstrated the cargo capacity, roominess of the vehicle, and push-button start. He said he requests vehicle users to recharge the Bolt when the charge runs down to approximately 50 miles left in the range.
Powderley said a portable vehicle radio and red plug-in LED lights, along with a defibrillator and first-aid kit in the trunk make the electric vehicle ready to go on the road. He said the portable emergency lights and radio is removed when not in use by the police department.
After showing off the car’s interior, trunk space, and roominess, Powderley offered a quick spin to a Northern Valley Press reporter, pulling out of Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest’s circular drive, onto Knickerbocker Road, and back into the driveway.
“We love the car. For the purposes we decided to purchase it for, it’s fantastic. It generally goes out every day with our code official,” said the chief.
“As far as the acceleration goes, it’s got all the acceleration of a regular car,” said Powderley.
He said it easily handles highway acceleration.
“This will be a great fit for us, but we just need a vehicle with a bigger chassis,” the chief added.
Photo courtesy Demarest Police