Hyundai patrol cars for Chennai police

Chennai: Chennai police gets a make over. Hundred spanking new upgraded cars gifted by Hyundai complete with revolving lights, loudspeakers and soon – digicams.

We like our cops to be fit, young and stylish. But that is not going to happen in a hurry. For now the cops will have to do with a stylish set of wheels.

The Chennai police will now go after lawbreakers in Hyundai Accents. Hundred upgraded Accents have been gifted to the police force by Hyundai. This is expected to reduce the response time of the police from four minutes to less than three minutes.

Chennai Police Sub Inspector S Jyothi says, “It's useful because we can get anywhere quickly. Sub inspectors with driving licenses have been asked to drive now."

And if the cops decide not to enjoy the A/C too much, the diesel engine might give at least double the mileage the old Jeeps used to give.

Seventy-five of these slick Accents will be used for patrolling while 25 will be deployed by the traffic police. So if you are jumping a red light or crossing the speed limit, expect to hear a shrieking siren from an Accent that will make you pull over. As for the wild police chases you're hoping to see live.

Chennai Traffic Police Sub Inspector Ravichandran says, “We hardly do any chasing inside the city. But if we do, then this can go at really high speeds compared to our old jeeps."

Chennaiites are loving the NYPD image – also because the tax payer didn't have to pay a penny for the new cars. But there will always be skeptics.

Also when large mobs are to be rounded up, thrown into the car, and taken to the station, it's going to be a tight squeeze. If not space, what the cars do have now are revolving lights, sirens, loudspeakers and fire extinguishers. And coming soon are mounted digicams.

It's still a novelty to the cops themselves and though they are enjoying every minute of it, they are still getting the hang of it.

Anyway the Chennai police is the only police force in the country to use this kind of car. At lease, now no one will say that criminals are getting more stylish than the police.