Meet ‘The Doctor of Speed’: This Engineer Makes Ford’s Fastest Vehicles Even Faster for Police

Ford Pro Police Vehicles are America’s best-selling Police Vehicles, and Police Vehicle Engineering Supervisor Allen Magolan is responsible for channeling relentless innovation through collaboration with various Ford teams and leveraging the deep understanding of the officers who rely on our vehicles every day. His work helps ensure these variants of our production lineup deliver the performance and capability that our customers demand.

Magolan joined Ford in 1993 after being drawn in by successful company products of the time like the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Mark VIII, as well as the idea of working for Henry Ford’s company. He first worked in small car programs under former Ford Vice President Richard Parry-Jones. Since then, he has held roles in Vehicle Dynamics, Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH), and the Plant Vehicle Team (PVT). 

Today, Magolan and his team work with Ford’s functional groups to upgrade the necessary vehicle components and attributes, like those related to powertrain, suspension, and electrical systems, that first responders and law enforcement demand. The police team, which includes highly trained and skilled engineers who are Ford Tier 3 and Tier 4 drivers, push the vehicles to their limits before signing off on their pursuit capability. Their rigorous testing includes high-speed handling, emergency maneuvers, top speed, severe duty braking, and many other assessments. 

Magolan compared the racetrack testing to the extreme conditions to which Ford Performance vehicles are subjected, with the goal of ensuring that Ford Pro police vehicles do not overheat or suffer excessive wear and tear. 

In addition to the many features available in our Ford and Lincoln lineups, our Ford police vehicles also have specific features and essential capabilities, such as wading through up to 18 inches of water, jumping 8-inch curbs, and performing reverse “J Turn” and “Pit” maneuvers, that can be used to immobilize fleeing drivers. Also, the vehicles are equipped with specialized features such as spotlights, calibrated speedometers and, most important, Police Idle Mode, which allows the vehicle to remain running securely when an officer is not present. Ford’s sophisticated police lineup also includes a perimeter alert that turns on the backup camera and rolls up windows if anyone approaches the vehicle in a 270-degree rear coverage zone. 

The stringent testing our police vehicles undergo mirrors Magolan’s personal life, in which he stays very active in long-distance running, bicycling, and swimming. He has participated and competed in more than 40 sprint, Olympic, and half-Ironman distance triathlons in addition to 100-mile bike rides, mountain biking, and off-road motorcycle adventuring. This summer, he plans to swim the 4.5-mile Straights of Mackinac in northern Michigan, which is near the location where he swam around the 8.5-mile perimeter of Mackinac Island. Magolan also competes in amateur team-based car racing, and has taken a third-place finish in a 24-hour race.

75 years on the beat

Ford introduced the industry’s first police package in 1950 and will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the market this year. Over the decades, Ford has offered an expansive portfolio of products, including the Bronco Special Purpose vehicle, several generations of the legendary Crown Victoria, the Mustang patrol car, Police Interceptor Sedan, and the Police Interceptor Utility. The SUV was introduced in 2013 alongside the Police Interceptor Sedan.

In his time with Ford, Magolan has seen the transition from sedans like Ford’s uber-popular Crown Victoria to more capable and roomier SUVs like the company’s current segment leader, the Police Interceptor Utility. Ford introduced the first-ever pursuit-rated hybrid police variant in 2020. One of the four patents Magolan has been awarded in his career came in relation to the calibration of the hybrid variant, which is the only pursuit-rated hybrid vehicle on the market. His innovation allows for the hybrid battery to charge more aggressively during pursuits to ensure the vehicle delivers full power for the duration of the chase. 

Ford’s Police Interceptor model helped propel Ford to the top of the segment, and it still holds today more than half of the law enforcement market share. Also, it gives police departments across the country choices that fit their geographics and demographics with the off-road capable F-150 Police Responder, as well as police Special Service Vehicle variants of the Expedition, Transit, and electric vehicles like Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning. Both the Police Interceptor Utility and F-150 Police Responder are pursuit-rated vehicles, which means they are certified to have the safety, performance, and durability to withstand the rigors of police pursuit. Magolan credited commitment to law enforcement customers from champions within Ford leadership, including the Ford family, for the company’s longevity in the market. 

Relentless pursuit 

Another key to Ford’s continued success in the police vehicle segment is the continued connection with Ford’s Police Advisory Board, a 30-member group made up of law enforcement professionals from the U.S. and Canada who meet with Ford monthly, both in-person and virtually. The group provides valuable feedback based on their insights from the field, which, in turn, help Ford develop new technologies and features for its police lineup. 

One of the most notable innovations to come from the board’s input is the Liftgate Timed Release feature, which allows officers to unlock the tailgates of Ford police vehicles for 45 seconds in order to retrieve necessary equipment. The tailgate locks automatically for security and convenience. Other improvements that have been implemented based on the group’s feedback include the use of the HVAC system to sanitize the interior of their patrol vehicles.  

Magolan said that former longtime company director Edsel B. Ford II has attended past advisory board meetings. 

“It’s nice to know they’re championing the work we’re doing to satisfy law enforcement customers,” he said. “Other automakers have advisory boards, but Ford probably takes it most seriously. The information is there, and you have to do something with it if you want to make a difference.”

Keeping communities safe

As we mark 75 years serving law enforcement, Ford’s commitment to those who protect and serve remains unwavering. With dedicated engineers like Allen Magolan pushing boundaries and fostering relationships with our police customers, Ford is poised to continue its leadership in the segment for decades to come.