What is the use of the black bar that attached on the front bumper of a police cruiser?

Question

What is the use of the black bar that attached on the front bumper of a police cruiser?Refer to this picture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MTA_Police_Crown_Victoria_Cruiser.JPG

Answer 1

I've seen an officer push someones car because it broke down in an exit ramp.  Among that it's used to probably ram cars that they may be chasing.

Answer 2

This is a Miltie use tool. The main use is for keeping someone from backing into the patrol car causing damage to the radiator so they could escape when the engine over heated. Some others, it's used as a push bar to conduct the pit- maneuver causing the vehicle to spin around out of control.This is only conducted if the suspect has engaged in a high speed chase and has shown that they have no reguards of others life.  

Answer 3

That is called a "push bumper".  

The purpose is to push a vehicle out of the road in a hurry without damaging your cruiser.  

It has a second purpose, and that is to perform the "pit manuever".  That is when a pursuit needs to be stopped, the officer pushes the rear of the suspect vehicle in such a way that the suspect vehicle crashes.

Answer 4

So they can ram down someone in a speeding car.  It can also knock stuff over.