In another lawsuit involving the controversial Crown Victoria police cruiser, the city of Dallas recently sued Ford Motor Company seeking information on the safety of the vehicle. Plaintiff attorneys insist the Crown Victoria's fuel-tank design is defective. The placement of the tank behind the rear axle, according to attorneys, puts the vehicle at an increased risk of catching fire after a rear-end collision. In October, Dallas police officer Patrick Metzler was killed when his Crown Victoria burst into flames after it was rear-ended. An investigation revealed the accident caused the car's gas tank to be punctured. Attorneys are attempting to gain access to Ford engineers as well as to information on the company's gas-tank technologies.

The safety of the Crown Victoria, which comprises about 85 percent of the police cruiser market, has recently been a concern for departments nationwide. The families of two Arizona police officers who died when their Crown Victoria cruisers were rear-ended and caught fire settled lawsuits with Ford Motor Company in May 2002. Two similar lawsuits involving the Ford model were recently settled in Massachusetts and Florida, and several suits in other states are currently pending.