Cedar Rapids police department buying last Ford Crown Vics

The love affair is on its last leg. The Police Department is buying its last 11 Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, which have been the cars of choice for the Cedar Rapids department and many other law-enforcement agencies across the nation.

Ford, though, will no longer make the Crown Vic.

Dennis Hogan, the city of Cedar Rapids' fleet services manager, says the Police Department and he will decide in the next month or so which vehicle the department will buy in the future as it moves in the years ahead to replace a fleet of 75 Crown Victorias.

The department expects to have three choices: Ford's New Generation Police Interceptor, a Chevrolet Impala or a Dodge Charger.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office now uses the Impala, the Iowa City Police Department uses the Crown Victoria, and the Iowa State Patrol uses Chargers and Crown Victorias with a few Chevy Tahoes for K-9 units.

The city is purchasing its last 11 Crown Victorias for a total cost of $256,631. The city is participating in a state bid, and Stivers Ford, Waukee, Iowa, has submitted the low bid.