Since its introduction, the Police Interceptor Utility has been a popular choice for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The current model is a lightly modified variant of the civilian 2025 Ford Explorer, itself a popular SUV and typically a segment sales leader. But less discerning eyes may confuse one variant for the other. In a more recent case of apparent mistaken identity, an LA Fox affiliate covering the ongoing situation in LA had their news vehicle presumably ransacked by protestors who likely assumed it belonged to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Fox 11 Los Angeles decided to head to Paramount, California to cover the city’s reaction to the Trump administration’s decision to deploy ICE in the city and surrounding area. The LA community launched protests to counteract the agency’s moves, and some protestors decided to vandalize property and federal vehicles. That prompted President Trump to deploy the National Guard without California Governor Gavin Newsome’s input, a tactic no president has utilized since 1965. Over the weekend, protests spread to downtown LA and some surrounding areas. As of Monday afternoon, the situation on the ground seems to have calmed down.
Before the situation in Paramount escalated, the affiliate Fox station parked their 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line at a big box retailer. The SUV is painted in Carbonized Gray, and to untrained eyes could appear to be law enforcement vehicle. While the presence of roof rack side rails is a clear indication it’s a civilian vehicle, that little bit of trivia was lost on whoever decided to vandalize the SUV. Aside from slashed tires, at least two windows got smashed in and the news team’s personal items stolen. Protestors also spray painted “F**K ICE” onto the passenger side door. While the damage is extensive, it doesn’t appear to be totaled.
Aside from the inclusion of roof rack side rails, the 2025 Ford Explorer refresh received additional updates that distinguish it from its law enforcement counterpart. For starters, the Police Interceptor Utility carried over the entire front end from the outgoing model. Additionally, both SUVs now feature different center touchscreens. The Interceptor comes standard with a unique eight-inch unit, while the civilian SUV solely features the all-new 13.2-inch screen that utilizes the Ford Digital Experience infotainment system.
