These Are The Weirdest Cars You've Seen Used By Local Government

Last week we asked you to share the weirdest car you've seen used by your local government, and the answers were sufficiently strange. Some cars that your local governments use aren't even sold in this country, but that doesn't stop them from being mighty useful. Other cars that you've seen used by local governments work in roles that demand respect, but the vehicles chosen are potentially the least intimidating vehicles possible. 

My answer to the question is still the first-generation Honda Civic Hybrid that I saw recently being used by the City of Los Angeles as the street sweeper chase vehicle. It was a pre-facelift model which means it had to be a 2003 model year car that is still serving is civic duty over 20 years later, and while I appreciate that the government isn't spending needlessly on expensive brand-new cars, I am still surprised that such an old vehicle is still in service. If you've got an interesting car you've seen used by your local government, feel free to share in the comments. These are the weirdest cars you've seen used by your local government. 

20 plus years ago, I saw a CHP Volvo, North of Escondido on the I-15, at the time I worked with CHP closely and never saw another one before, or after.

Submitted by: towman

I always enjoy seeing cops on horses. It's not super rare, but horses are cool and there is something funny about knowing the horse might actually be a top-notch chaser in dense, urban environments.

Submitted by: engineerthefuture

Pre-pandemic, my town used to have a small fleet (maybe 3 or 4) of Polaris side-by-sides that were used for parking enforcement and other jobs in the downtown area where a Charger or Explorer cruiser would be overkill. I haven't seen them used recently, so they may have been retired.

Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I

Growing up, my local Washington State Patrol office was pretty small, so instead of buying fleet vehicles, they'd just use seized, auction cars ..80's Camaros, Mustangs, Caravans .. my neighbors "patrol car" was an unmarked '90 Cavalier .. he said they had a good dozen of oddball unmarked cars (with hidden lights) at the station to choose from... even a Corvette.

Submitted by: JCB

Any small town that thinks it needs an armored tank to keep the peace 🙄

Submitted by: Jimboy Junio

I don't know how weird it is considered given the context, but i have seen a Smart ForTwo used as a police car during exceptionally congested rush hour where i am from.

Submitted by: epep-

Up until a few years ago my County's crime scene unit used a Ford Aerostar... I remember watching the show CSI as a kid thinking that could be a cool job then I started seeing the local CSI group rolling around in an Aerostar. Hard pass.

The most recent string of County pool vehicles has been Dodge Nitros, Jeep Cherokees (with the V6's and leather which seems awfully fancy for municipal pool vehicles) and now Bronco Sports.

Submitted by: cintocrunch1

My town's parks and recreation department has a Daihatsu Hijet mini truck as a maintenance vehicle.

Submitted by: Giantsgiants