Dodge showed off its new patrol car at the New York Auto Show. Besides the usual police equipment - heavy duty front seat, no rear-seat door handles - the police Charger has beefed-up brakes and a 340-horsepower Hemi engine.

Chrysler was once big in the police market. In the 1960s through the 1980s, the Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Fury were popular with police departments. The company tried to get back into the market with a police package on the Intrepid a few years ago but police officers didn't feel comfortable with its front-wheel-drive.

Dodge will also offer a police version of its Magnum station wagon. Both models will be available later this year

The Dodge Charger appears to have a police price of about $22,000; adding dual spots is another $175, and side airbags another $360, with rubber floor mats $70. The Charger was priced to compete well against the Crown Victoria/Police Interceptor and Chevy Impala, and is really quite a bargain considering braking and acceleration. (The Hemi Charger is about $24,000.) There are additional discounts for fleets ordering five or more vehicles. Ford and Chevy have priced their vehicles lower this year, though - a good couple of thousand dollars apiece lower. In the long run, if the Charger holds up under police use, that money could be well spent (preventing a single accident due to improved brakes could more than pay for a few cars’ premium.)