Saturday, November 01, 2008

You can hide, but you cant run...


A private ceremony was held at the Viminale Palace where Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. donated a police version of the company’s newest super sports car, Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, to the head of the Italian State Police, Prefect Antonio Manganelli.



The new Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, which replaces the previous Gallardo in use by the Italian police force since 2004 has a 560 horsepower engine that can reach speeds of up to 326 Km/h. The car will begin service with the Lazio Highway Police Department in order to continue accident and crime prevention to sustain security on the Italian roads.



In addition to the clearly effective deterrent offered by the presence and visibility of a Lamborghini on the highway, the technological equipment on board these vehicles makes them highly effective in the control of hazardous behaviour on the roads (high speeds, driving in the emergency lane, dangerous over-taking); the automatic recognition of number plate tracking and real-time transmission of images to the control rooms.




The cabin of the super sports car is fitted with the latest advancements in police technology to immediately document the evidence of any transgression. The video system is positioned in the center of the cabin with a camera fitted next to the rear view mirror and a computer and recording equipment behind the seats. As soon as police officers discover a suspicious driver, they activate the ''Proof Video Data System.'' With the help of GPS data, the device can calculate the location, direction of movement and speed of the Lamborghini. This combined with the distance and time before intercept, accurately determines the speed of the vehicle being pursued.

Using radio data transmission, the video system in the Gallardo Polizia transfers its images in real time to the relevant police station. There, the videos are stored and used for automatic number plate retrieval. This information can be used for immediate identification of stolen vehicles.




In addition to its high tech equipment, the Gallardo is also fitted with the ''classic'' array of police equipment, such as a gun holster, police radio equipment and the ''Paletta,'' the traditional hand-held stop sign used to advise motorists and traffic offenders to pull over. Officers can then use a removable screen to show offenders their misdeeds immediately, complete with an overlay of all the associated data.




The Lamborghini is used regularly for urgent medical transportation too. Lamborghini's have never had loads of luggage space, howerver , the luggage compartment in the front of the vehicle is equipped with a specialized refrigeration system for safe transportation of donor organs. For extreme emergencies, there is also a tiny defibrillator stored in the car.



Only officers from traffic departments Special Operations Team, made up of arguably the luckiest police officers in the world, are permitted to drive the Gallardo. Each person on the team – which includes three women – has undertaken driver training with Lamborghini, under the leadership of the Lamborghini test drivers. They also receive special training in the use of the Gallardo’s medical equipment.



The Lamborghini wears its uniform with pride, painted in accordance with requirements in ''blu Polizia'' – whereby the white stripes and lettering follow the Gallardo’s dynamic design angles. Its main patrol beat be central and southern Italy, primarily on the motorway between Salerno and Reggio Calabria.



The police beacon on the roof of the Gallardo had to be aerodynamically optimized being that the new police car reaches a considerably higher top speed than regular service vehicles.. Despite the extremely flat construction of the signal lighting, blue LEDs are fitted round the base to ensure the visual signal cannot be missed. The roof-mounted lighting is supported by further blue LED signals on the front, sides and rear of the light’s aluminium shell.




Alongside its daily operational duties, the Gallardo also has regular public appearance obligations, such as its role as parade leader every year in Rome’s traditional ''Festa di Polizia,'' or its escort responsibilities at events with historical vehicles, like the Targa Florio and the Milan – San Remo Rally. Its predecessor even represented the Italian police in New York City at the 2005 ''Columbus Day'' parade.

This is a truly remarkable piece of police equipment, its no wonder the Italian police force is among the best motivated in the world.