Tough, reliable, and dependable are just some of the words that can describe the Toyota Land Cruiser. If anything, its reputation is so strong that police forces in some parts of the world like having it in their respective fleets.
Australia is one of many countries that love the Land Cruiser. At the same time, Australian police agencies stock up on these as special service vehicles. The country is no stranger to using these SUVs for police. So, it’s no surprise then that the 300 Series recently entered active duty over in Queensland.
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The Queensland Police Service recently activated a fleet of Land Cruisers for its District Duty Officers (DDO). Its primary role is to respond to priority incidents such as search parties, armed conflict, robberies, and everything in between. These Cruisers have a lot on their plate, then.
For these Toyota Land Cruiser patrol vehicles to perform their duties, the units get extensive modifications. Most obvious is the high visibility livery plastered on the side and the light bar on the roof. It also has a steel bumper with a bullbar and winch for callouts that require the officers to go off-road. The police-spec Land Cruiser also has something called a ‘rumbler’ siren, a siren that emits low-frequency sounds that stirs up vibrations.
Of course, there’s loads of communication equipment on board, and it’s directly linked to Polair (police helicopters) and the main communication center. The cargo area is also filled to the brim with equipment such as first aid kits, traffic cones, and more.
This being a patrol vehicle, the Land Cruiser variant chosen was the entry-level GX. It’s the low-frills example of the SUV with not much in the way of luxuries. Heck, it doesn’t even get alloys, with steel wheels as its rolling stock. Then again, it wouldn’t need any fancy features given its line of work.
As for the engine, it’s the familiar 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 turbodiesel. It's good for 304hp and, more importantly, 700Nm of torque. That should be more than enough for the Land Cruiser to get to scenes quickly and carry loads of equipment along the way.
Sure, there are faster cars, but one thing fleeing suspects can’t outrun is a good ol’ radio. Couple that to the Land Cruiser’s off-road capabilities, and it’s quite possibly the ultimate go-anyway police vehicle.
