The Casper Police Department will roll out a sleek Dodge Charger later this month, testing the new vehicle against a fleet of industry-standard Ford Crown Victorias.

Police Chief Tom Pagel said the state Highway Patrol and other police agencies across the country have tested the vehicle, and with uncertainty in Detroit over the future of the industry-standard Ford Crown Victoria, it made sense to test the Dodge Charger.

The Charger gets 26 highway miles per gallon, according to the company Web site, and has more of a muscle-car look to it than a Crown Vic. The Crown Vic is a heavier vehicle, too.

"Why we want to test it is, the type of use the Highway Patrol versus what a city police department does is somewhat different, but there are other communities that have tried and been happy too," Pagel said.

The vehicle hasn't been put to use yet - it's being stripped down and upgraded. The Charger was purchased earlier this year along with a handful of Crown Vics. Pagel said the vehicle should be in use before the end of this month.

Light bars, radios, computers and cages can double the price of a vehicle. A new patrol car might only cost around $28,000, Pagel said, but modifications jack the price to more than $60,000.

The car is slightly darker than the silver/blue metallic color standard on Casper police patrol cars and will have lights and identification on the side, Pagel said.

The department buys about half a dozen vehicles at the end of each budget year, but Pagel couldn't say whether the department would shift to Dodge Chargers in the coming years.

"It will depend on a lot of things - cost, availability, and what Ford is doing with the Crown Victoria," Pagel said. "If Ford decides it's not profitable to create a Crown Vic, and they go with a smaller, more fuel-efficient car, my hand would be forced."

You can reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. You can read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape.