Ford employees want the company to stop making police cars, report says

According to a Jalopnik report released on Wednesday, Ford employees have asked the automaker to stop building police cars. The request comes as innumerable Black lives count Protests continue across America and around the world triggered by the murder of George Floyd.

“Throughout history, the vehicles that Ford employees design and build have been used as accessories for police brutality and oppression,” Jalopnik wrote in a letter to Ford CEO Jim Hackett and Chairman Bill Ford, “the workers said.” We know that many racist police practices that plague our society, that are historical and systemic – a history and a system that Ford has continued for over 70 years – since Ford introduced the first one – every police package in 1950. As an undeniable part of this history and system we are long overdue to think and act differently about our role in racism. “

Several videos have been released showing police officers driving Ford Police Interceptors in masses of demonstrators at several US events. While other companies’ vehicles were used in a similar manner and Ford’s Police Interceptors account for a small portion of the Blue Oval’s total sales, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker sells more police vehicles than any other automaker in the United States.

A Ford spokesman confirmed these reports, but declined to comment.

The letter to Hackett and Ford came from a group of employees who “asked Ford to stop developing, producing, and selling all custom police vehicles and products.”

Hackett quickly replied with an internal memo that Jalopnik also received, saying, “There is no controversy that the Ford Police Interceptor is helping officials with their work. The issues that affect the credibility of the police have nothing to do with the vehicles, that they drive. “

Hackett’s memo continues: “Removing our police interceptors would damage their safety and make it harder for them to do their jobs. Again, given our insights, new skills, and leadership skills, I think the circumstances are unfortunate for Ford greater opportunity not only to innovate new solutions but also to use our unique position to support the dialogue and reforms needed to create safe communities for all. “

Jalopnik reports that the employee letter urges the automaker to take action by July 15. “Our resources can and should be redirected to other forms of initial response and public security,” the letter said.

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Update, 6.10 p.m. PT: Includes confirmation from Ford.
Correction, 8:41 p.m. PT: The original version of this story said the letter to the executives came from the Ford African-Ancestry Network (FAAN). We have now learned that this is wrong and the letter was written by an independent group of black and white staff. The text has been edited to reflect this.