[mglz]

> say a reliance on unsecured charging stations makes officers vulnerable when it comes to transporting suspects long distances; and note that in a firefight, police are taught to hide behind a car’s engine block

I am a diehard EV proponent, but it's important to admit that there are places where EVs are not the right solution. Especially in vehicles which take part in emergency response, the high energy density of fossil fuels is absolutely a benefit.

[stavros]

It doesn't really look like it? It looks like there was only one case in however many years this officer has worked that they've needed the extra range. If nothing else, they can have one IC car for when long-term trips need to happen.

The rest of the issues sound like Tesla issues, rather than EV issues.

[Retric]

Not being able to hide behind the engine block is a cop specific issue. One that could be fixed by adding armor to some part of the vehicle but still an issue.

[bravetraveler]

They're permitted exactly one combustible engine for purpose? What? The job demands the tool, not you.

[giardini]

>"... in a firefight, police are taught to hide behind a car’s engine block"<

So the cop should possibly orient himself so that his/her head, heart and lungs [and maybe even his/her nuts, if (s)he has 'em] are protected by the engine block ? Good luck with that!

Most cops are larger than most engine blocks. Hiding behind an auto engine block is almost certainly a "Hail Mary" move in a firefight. If you do the math (and compute protection vs officer orientation relative to the shooter(s) and to the engine block) better strategies are to:

- hide - seek concealment, leave if possible,

- run - move away from shooter(s),

- if you are legally required to stay and have a weapon and if you can shoot it well, provide covering fire (to keep the shooter down).

Whilst moving away won't provide protection from a stray bullet, our 3-d world's geometry reduces very rapidly the odds of being hit as you move away from a shooter. The instinctual urges to flee and/or "hit the deck" (lie flat, play dead, etc. until you can see where to flee) are useful.

This is boosted by the fact that most people, cops and otherwise, cannot shoot a firearm (esp. a handgun) accurately. If you have the bad luck to be in a shootout with a marksman who can keep his cool under fire, then you're likely SOL. But the above advice (hide and run) remains valid.

Summary: the presence of an engine block for protection is not a convincing argument against the use of EVs for law enforcement.

I like this:

https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Being-Shot

and this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/hu4srd/whats_the...

[wakawaka28]

These are police officers. They aren't supposed to run away from gun fights as a first option. They need to at least try to engage and shut down the threat.

>hide - seek concealment, leave if possible

That is exactly what the engine block thing is for. It is a last resort but the alternative is to likely get shot through the vehicle or get shot in the back running away from your actual job.

Not to mention, an EV can get shot in the battery leading to a huge fire, possibly incinerating anyone locked in the back seat of the car. EV fires are often sudden and often accompanied by explosions, whereas petrol-fueled cars are very difficult to ignite in a gunfight (contrary to the ridiculous explosions that Hollywood shows).

Summary: You don't have a clue what you are talking about. The cops, many of whom are combat veterans on top of their police training, DO understand the threats.