January 2000

A new decade has dawned (that's right... DECADE... with all the Y2K hype, the simple decade has been forgotten) and for January 2000, the Committee has decided on the Chevrolet Malibu as the copcar of the month. Two decades ago, the 1979 Malibu 9C1 police package replaced the well-received Nova as Chevy continued its down-sizing of vehicles. The Malibu had a bit shorter wheelbase than the Nova but the interior and trunk room was greater. They were available in a 200-cid V-6, or 305-cid and 350-cid V-8's. All had the 2.73 three speed transmission. In a Car and Driver review, the car was even compared to O.J. Simpson in its maneuverability. These cars just plain got up and went... and the cops who drove them loved them.


This 1983 Malibu was in service with the Cook County, IL, Sheriff's Police when it led the color guard in a local parade. Word has it the car outran the marchers in a 5 to 1 ratio.



Thanks to this Darryl Lindsay photo, we see that the CHP also tried out the Malibu for patrol in 1979. Only 12 were purchased for testing purposes along with a dozen each of Ford Fairmonts, Volare station wagons and Z28 Camaros.



Even Canada tried the Malibu- This one in the familiar yellow of the Peel Regional Police.



And the Toronto Metropolitan Police used the midsize Chevy in 1983.



When the NW Chicago suburb of DesPlaines cracked the case and arrested infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy 21 years ago, they too were driving the Malibu.



This 1982 Malibu is from the Wentworth Institute of Technology Campus Police, Boston



Do you recognize this graphics scheme? Mount Prospect, IL, of course.