Saturn sedans posing as police patrol cars soon will be orbiting Medford.

With their bright blue paint and standard Medford Police Department logos, the Saturns don’t look much different from their Crown Victoria patrolling partners. But their four-cylinder engines go easy on the gas.

"Now we have a legitimate fleet of gas-sipping cars," said Medford police Chief Eric Mellgren.

The rising cost of fuel prompted the department to explore alternatives to the Ford Crown Victoria’s gas-guzzling V-8. Last year, the department purchased several small hybrid and diesel cars, including the chief’s Volkswagen Golf, for administrators’ use. Adding six Saturns to the fleet brings the small car count up to about a dozen. The department has plans to purchase two more Saturns in July.

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"The economic times demand changes," said Medford officer Tim Lytle, who managed the Saturn project.

Although they won’t phase out the Crown Victorias in Medford’s patrol fleet, the Saturns do replace recycled Fords driven by the department’s community service officers. In the past, old Crown Vics retired from patrol duty were reincarnated as plain white cars that shuttled community service officers around Medford. But those old Fords were gobbling a gallon of gas every four to six miles, Lytle said. At their peak, Crown Victorias consume about a gallon of fuel every 10 miles, he added.

Previously leased, the Saturns get 26 miles to the gallon in town and cost the police department about $13,500 apiece, Lytle said. The highest mileage among the six cars was 24,000, he said. Police officials said they expect each Saturn to stay in the fleet for about seven years. The new cars also would keep officers on the road in the event of a nationwide fuel crisis, Mellgren said.

The department’s first marked Saturn will patrol the Medford airport, Lytle said. School resource officers will drive the other two marked Saturns — to be purchased later. But when school is not in session, those cars may be seen on the road along with the department’s standard patrol car, Lytle said.

Because officers no longer will hand down their old Crown Vics to community service officers, the police department plans to lease its patrol cars instead of buying them outright.

Purchased for approximately $23,000 apiece and outfitted with another $10,000 of specialized equipment, Crown Victorias typically patrol Medford for about 8 years before they’re retired. After a stint as a CSO car, a Crown Vic may sell at auction for as little as $500, Lytle said. The city spends $134,000 for four new cars every year, he said.

Leasing the cars through an Oregon-based company will cost the city $9,000 per car each year. The cars arrive at the police department ready for patrol minus only a portable computer, cell phone and shotgun, Lytle said. Four new autos will be leased every year and returned to the company after four years, or about 100,000 miles, Lytle said.

Police officials said they believe they can save nearly $50,000 per year by leasing their patrol cars and driving ones that get better gas mileage. The department will sell Crown Vics it still owns for approximately $5,000 apiece to a company that turns the old cars into taxi cabs, Lytle said.

Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail slemon@mailtribune.com