Ford CEO dismisses employees' call for company to stop making, selling custom police vehicles and products

• An internal letter from Ford employees demanded the automaker to stop making and selling police vehicles in the wake of police brutality protests, Jalopnik reports.
• Ford CEO Jim Hackett responded via an office memo that if Ford Police Interceptors were removed, it would be doing "harm" to police officers' "safety."
• Ford claims it accounts for almost two-thirds of police vehicle sales in the US.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett has dismissed employee demands for Ford to stop the sale of police vehicles in the wake of the events and police brutality protests related to the death of George Floyd, Jalopnik's Aaron Foley reports.

According to an unnamed tipster, the outlet learned that a collection of Black and white Ford employees wrote a letter to management, voicing their concerns over the automaker's involvement in producing police vehicles.

The letter, apparently making rounds at the Ford headquarters, demands action by July 15 and asks for employees to digitally sign it. It also calls upon Ford to stop building and selling all "police vehicles and products."

Jalopnik included part of the letter:

In response, Hackett sent out an internal office memo, and Ford provided Business Insider a copy.

He noted that both he and Bill Ford "believe deeply that there is no room for the systemic repression and racism that have been exhibited by law enforcement encounters gone wrong" and that they have "said clearly that Black Lives Matter and I am personally driving a review of our Diversity and Inclusion rituals, practices and behaviors.

"We do believe strongly that more transparency and accountability is required in police operations," Hackett wrote.

But then he went on: "It's not controversial that the Ford Police Interceptor helps officers do their job. The issues plaguing police credibility have nothing to do with the vehicles they're driving. In fact, as we imagine the future power of our connected vehicles, smarter Ford vehicles can be used to not only improve officers' ability to protect and serve, but also provide data that can make police safer and more accountable.

"By taking away our Police Interceptors, we would be doing harm to their safety and making it harder for them to do their job. Again, this is why, given our insights, new capabilities and leadership, I believe these unfortunate circumstances present Ford with an even greater opportunity to not only innovate new solutions but also leverage our unique position to support the dialogue and reform needed to create safer communities for all."

The Ford Police Interceptor Utility, the police version of the Ford Explorer, was the vehicle that was used by Detroit police officers to drive through a throng of protestors in a video shown by local news. Ford vehicles have typically known prominent use within the police force.

The Ford Crown Victoria is probably the most iconic police vehicle there is, though it was retired in 2011. Today, police versions of the Ford Expedition, Fusion, Explorer, F-150, and Transit van are all used by law enforcement agencies. Ford claims that it accounts for almost two-thirds of police vehicle sales in the US, according to this 2019 press release.

Foley criticized Hackett's response letter, writing, "I'm not a marketing whiz, but I am Black with common sense and I don't think it's wise for Ford to try to 'leverage' deaths of Black people to make better police cars."

Read the full Jalopnik story here>>

Are you Ford employee with a story to share? Contact this reporter at klee@businessinsider.com.