[1]The need for speed addicts can rest a bit easier when passing through the highways and bi-ways of North Carolina. The well-known speed chaser, a 2007 Corvette Z06, is no longer on the beat. A Vette with a bit of a shady past, was snatched up by the Wake County Sheriff’s department [2]five years ago from a convicted drug dealer and became a tool in the fight against crime. Shortly after the department acquired the Vette, the newly badged Sheriff began to throw down the law on the streets.
After becoming somewhat of a burden, the county was set to auction it off recently, with proceeds going to the Wake school
[3] system. These plans did change, however. After the sheriff pondered alternative options for the police cruising Vette, he decided to maintain possession of the ride and it will now be used as a public relation vehicle at local schools instead of being auctioned.
So for now, the high speed police cruiser is not set to see desk duty yet. The undercover ride will now go on tour at the local schools to promote an anti-drug message aimed at young people.
The Lawmen of Wake County have definitely made good use of the Z06 – racking up about 141,000 miles during the past five years as they used it to make 1,400 traffic stops that resulted in more than 1,000 citations. The Corvette has also prevented more than $250,000 worth of drugs from hitting the streets of Wake County.
[4]Not only used in the fight against speeding, this ride has also been used to help fight crime in areas with high crime rates that are suffering from large numbers of burglaries as well. At the time the Vette was seized, it was worth around $57,000. Now with 152,000 miles on the odometer, it’s worth between $16,701 and $19,335, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Other seized vehicles have joined the department’s fleet and they are sometimes used in undercover operations. The Wake County Sheriff’s department decides whether to use a vehicle for the department or to sell it to benefit the school system. As a force to be reckoned with, this soldier will remain a part of the team in Wake County fighting the war on drugs. What undercover warriors have you seen on your local streets fighting crime?