Toledo police to add carbon monoxide detectors to vehicles

Officers in other departments across the country have possibly been exposed to exhaust containing carbon monoxide. Complaints have come from places like Austin, Texas where Ford has begun repairing Explorers. However, there are still questions about the safety of thousands of other Ford Explorers on the road.

TPD recently replaced man of its aging cruisers with Ford Explorers. A department spokespersons says TPD has not have any issues with carbon monoxide, but wants to make sure its officers are safe.

"The last thing we'd want to do is have one of our officers be exposed to excessive carbon monoxide, if there happens to be a problem with the vehicles." Captain Joe Heffernan explains. "Right now, all indications the we have here, as far as the cars we have, everything seems to be running fine and normally."

Capt. Heffernan says the department has tested its vehicles and has not detected any carbon monoxide issues. However, he adds the department will buy carbon monoxide detectors just in case.

Heffernan says TPD is looking into different detectors right now. He explains that is shouldn't be too long before they are in place. No cost estimate was given for purchasing and installing the new equipment.

A spokesperson for Ford reached out to 13abc with the following statement:

"Safety is our top priority. We continue to investigate. We have not found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in non-Police Ford Explorers. To address police customers who drive modified vehicles in unique ways, we are covering the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Utility that may have carbon monoxide concerns, regardless of modifications made after leaving Ford's factory."