NYPD Fits Fireguards on Crown Vics

The NYPD has stepped up efforts to prevent their Ford Crown Victoria patrol cars from exploding in rear-end collisions by installing safety shields over the car's gas tank, police officials said yesterday. The Police Department said it has installed the safety device in dozens of cars and that all of its 1,439 cruisers will be retrofitted with the shield.

The move comes a month after a New York state trooper was killed in Yonkers when his parked cruiser burst into flames after it was rammed from behind by an out-of-control SUV.

New York State Police said last week they would install the shield in all of their Crown Victorias.

The car's safety has come under fire since 13 police officers have been killed over the last 20 years nationwide following rear-end collisions.

Critics call the car a deathtrap because its gas tank is wedged between the trunk and the rear axle - a flaw they say can lead to fires following a collision.

While most of the city's 11,412 yellow cabs are Crown Victorias, the Taxi and Limousine Commission has reassured passengers there is no reason to be "alarmed" about the car's safety.