Police Chief Lynn Frith, of Boones Mill, Virginia, has a great job. He spends his day cruising around in a 2004 Pontiac GTO. Sometimes, when a car speeds through his quaint little roadside town, he gets to chase them down using the GTO’s 350 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque. I met with Chief Frith on Saturday, May 8^th, 2004. I learned that he is a licensed car dealer and has been a mechanic since a very young age. He said he rebuilt his first engine when he was twelve. He is definitely a “car guy.” I wanted to get his impressions of the new GTO. Here’s what he had to say. Note: The conversation detailed below is not quoted verbatim. Chief Frith agreed to this format, and if I grossly misquote him or take something out of context, he might have said, “I know where to find you.”

Florit: “So, Chief Frith, how do you like the 2004 Pontiac GTO?”

Chief: “Great. Just great. That one word says it all. It definitely has more power than my last car, a 1998 Camaro.”

Florit: “How fast have you driven the GTO?”

Chief: “I’ve had it a little over 100 a few times. I don’t want to take it over 100 too much right now because I am still breaking it in. It only has about 1500 miles on it so far.”

Florit: “How does the car feel at that speed?”

Chief: “Oh, incredible. Very, very smooth.”

Florit: “What are some of your favorite features of the new GTO?”

Chief: “Several things come to mind. I like the ‘over speed reminder’. It goes off at 80mph, and I like knowing when a pursuit has reached that speed. I really like the “launch mode” of the automatic transmission. When I shift it into gear, the rear end squats down, ready to go. That’s very nice. I also like that the gas tank is mounted vertically behind the rear seat. Many officers have lost their lives in [other cars], not because of the rear-end collision, but because of the resulting fire. I don’t have that worry in the GTO.”

Florit: “Do you plan on doing any performance modifications to the car?”

Chief: “Not yet. It really doesn’t need any. The last thing I will need to worry about is someone outrunning me. I may do some things in the future.”

Florit: “If you do add some performance mods, would you be willing to disclose that information, or is it ‘Top Secret’?”

Chief: “No, I would not keep it a secret. I would be more than happy share that information.”

Florit: “Do you think you will miss the Camaro?”

Chief: “No. Not at all. It is a night and day difference. The GTO is much more comfortable.”

Florit: “Who does the maintenance on your new police cruiser?”

Chief: “I do all the maintenance myself. I’ve been involved with cars all my life. I like doing the work myself.”

Florit: “Who buys the gas, you or the Town of Boones Mill?”

Chief: “The Town buys the gas. I’m glad, too. I’m averaging about 11 mpg because the car runs constantly, idling most of the time with the A/C on.”

Florit: “Do you feel like the dealership gave you a good deal on the car?”

Chief: “The Town was able to buy the car for less than MSRP.”

Florit: “Have you had any warranty repair issues?”

Chief: “Only one. I was parked on a steep slope and when I tried to get out of the car, the door fell back and my knee struck the stereo speaker in the door. The speaker grill cracked. The dealership agreed to replace it under warranty. Watch out for those speaker grills. They are very fragile.”

Florit: “So, has anyone challenged you and the new GTO to a race?”

Chief: “No, not yet. Not in the GTO. I had a couple of challenges in the Camaro. One in particular comes to mind. I was sitting at the North end of town, watching for cars speeding South. A Mustang GT came around the corner doing about 70. He saw me and started to brake, then goosed it and took off. I put the Camaro on the road and floored it. I was on his back bumper before he got out of town. The Mustang GT driver was very impressed. We had done a few things to the Camaro.”

Florit: “Well, since you haven’t been challenged yet, let me be the first. Want to race?”

Chief: (laughing)

The time spent with Chief Frifth was very enjoyable. He was patient, cooperative, and obviously pleased with his new GTO. Next time I see him, I want to ask him if I can be "Deputized" for a weekend. My Torrid Red on one end of town... his Black Beauty at the other end... what fun we could have! :-)