The California Highway Patrol has added its final Chevrolet Camaro to the agency’s fleet, bringing another high-performance coupe into service nearly three years after production of the model ended.

The CHP revealed the car on Instagram earlier this week. The Camaro wears the agency’s traditional black-and-white paint scheme and appears to be an SS 1LE model. Its police equipment includes red and blue warning lights integrated into the grille and side skirts, along with a roof-mounted light bar and a large whip antenna.

There is no confirmed explanation for why this Camaro has only now joined the fleet. It may have been delivered earlier and held in storage before entering service, although that possibility has not been confirmed. Another possibility is that the car was seized after being used in a crime. Additional information was being sought.

V8 power and police equipment

The Camaro is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT1 V8 producing 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque. Red brake calipers provide a visible indication of the car’s performance hardware, though the source does not detail any additional police-specific mechanical modifications made to this particular vehicle.

While the Camaro is not as exotic as the Corvette used by the Florida Highway Patrol, its V8 power should make it suitable for highway patrol duties. The car joins other Camaros that remain in police service around the United States despite the end of production.

The Camaro’s CHP history

Chevrolet vehicles have been used by American police agencies for almost a century, and the Camaro has held a place in that history for decades. The California Highway Patrol first received a Camaro Z28 in 1979 and evaluated a fleet of approximately 12 cars before moving to Ford Mustangs.

Chevrolet later introduced the B4C Special Service package for the third-generation Camaro in 1991. That police-oriented version included larger front and rear sway bars, a higher-output alternator, and upgraded engine and transmission cooling.

Fourth-generation Camaro B4C police cars began reaching U.S. roads in 2002. They used a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8 and were regarded at the time as some of the most aggressive police interceptors in service.

The latest CHP Camaro continues that connection, although it arrives as production of the sixth-generation car has already ended. Its addition gives the agency one more modern Camaro for patrol work while also marking the last example to enter the CHP fleet.