FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Don Barrett (800) 889-9622

Attorney Barrett, Victims Urge Third-Party Scrutiny of Ford Police Car Proposal

LEXINGTON, MS.–September 27, 2002.
The following press release is being issued by Barrett Law Office, P.A.:

Ford must submit any recommended safety enhancement of its Crown Victoria police car to independent scrutiny, attorneys and victims urged today in anticipation of what is expected to be an announcement by Ford that it will install plastic shields in all its police cars to keep fuel tanks from puncturing and igniting in rear-end collisions.

"While we welcome Ford's decision to finally act to prevent these tragedies, anyone in a position of responsibility with regard to these vehicles must insist that the safety improvement be independently evaluated," said Don Barrett, an attorney who represents law enforcement officers in class action lawsuits against Ford in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

A Ford blue ribbon panel was in Phoenix today reportedly finalizing recommendations involving fuel-fed fires in Ford police cruisers that have claimed the lives of 12 police officers so far. Among the recommendations is expected to be the installation of a plastic shield behind the tank to help protect against punctures.

"Before the state of Arizona or anyone else adopts this as the answer to the problem, they should keep in mind that Ford has been playing a shell game with this issue for years.

"First, Ford denied it was a problem until the state of Arizona threw down the gauntlet after its third officer was killed. Second, Ford delayed an investigation more than a year ago by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Third, Ford has rejected outright at least two new, available technologies shown to offer extraordinary protection from fuel tank fires.

"Any solution presented by Ford must submit to third-party experts before it can or should be believed," Barrett said.

The City of Phoenix began installing fuel tank bladders manufactured by Fuel Safe of Oregon in its patrol cars this summer and is expected to have completely retrofitted its fleet of nearly 700 cruisers by the end of the year. Bladder technology has been used by the racing industry for years, including in Ford's Mustang Cobra R. A second technology, called a Fire PANEL, which blankets the fuel tank area with a fire-retardant powder in the event of a rear-end impact, has been shown to be effective at speeds of more than 80 miles per hour.

In a separate announcement, family members of police officers killed in the fires issued statements through their attorneys also calling for independent evaluation of any Ford recommendation.

"We welcome Ford's efforts, but the consequences of a premature solution to this problem can be fatal. We cannot risk that," said Ann Marie Nielsen, whose husband Robert Nielsen, a Chandler, AZ police officer, died June 12.

"On behalf of law enforcement, I urge Ford to submit its proposed solution to testing by NHTSA and other third parties, to ensure it is the absolute best protection for officers."