Troopers Yank All ‘Exploding' Cruisers

January 3, 2003 -- ALBANY - Ford Crown Victorias that have not been retrofitted to prevent fires following violent rear-end collisions have been pulled from patrol duty by New York state troopers, officials said yesterday.

State Police Superintendent James McMahon said he has told supervisors not to send troopers out in vehicles not retrofitted with fuel tank shields.

There are enough Crown Victorias that have been fitted with the shields or non-Crown Victoria vehicles in the State Police fleet to keep patrols on the roads throughout the state, the Division of State Police said yesterday.

Earlier in the day, the union representing troopers urged its members to refuse to patrol in non-retrofitted Crown Victorias and called for all those vehicles to be taken out of service until they get shields.

"It does not seem to be an unreasonable demand for us to say,