Sergeant on patrol in ‘cute’ little Panda

Press, 29 June 1988, Page 6

Sergeant on patrol in ‘cute’ little Panda

PA Auckland Sergeant John Mitchell of the police is big enough to ignore the jibes when he drives in his Fiat Panda — New Zealand’s smallest police car.

Since Thursday, Sergeant Mitchell has been patrolling Auckland streets in the IOOOcc cruiser as he co-ordi-nates central neighbourhood support groups.

“The men tend to laugh, and the women think it is cute,” said

Sergeant Mitchell, who is still getting used to the attention the car attracts from other motorists.

The tiny Italian car is a far cry from the big Australian-built Fords and Holdens favoured by the police, but that will not stop Sergeant Mitchell responding to incidents if he is needed. “We do not envisage using it for any highspeed chases. It has a radio, and if I am out and a burglar is disturbed then I will attend.

I am certainly not going to drive past.”

He said the car had a top speed of 150 km/h, “and the road tests reckon it can do 44 (miles) to the gallon.” The white Panda, with over-sized blue lights on the roof, is one of three sponsored police cars in the Auckland area. It has been supplied by Continental Car Services, which will pay for insurance and servicing. Petrol is the only cost to the police.