Gilbert police will be the first law enforcement agency in Arizona to equip cars with a device that turns traffic signals green.
The Town Council gave its approval to install the signal interrupters in all the town's police cars last week after a six-month trial showed that they decreased response times and improved safety.
Like the Tucson Fire Department, Gilbert's Fire Department has been using the devices for several years.
The Gilbert Police Department said it also wanted them in its fleet.
"We're also first responders," Sgt. Andrew Duncan said. "I've gone to enough emergencies to know how frustrating it can be when you want to get there to help and you get tied up."
Police cars will use the interrupters only when responding to emergencies in "code 3," or when they turn on lights and sirens. The devices work by flashing a strobe that's picked up by traffic signals. Even with the interrupters, police policy requires officers to use caution when entering an intersection.
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The town tested the devices in about 20 of Gilbert's police cars. The interrupters will be installed in all cars, officials said.
One of the main concerns about the interrupters was the assumption that they cause crashes. Also, town traffic engineers opposed them because it takes more than five minutes for an intersection to get back on a regular cycle after one is used.
Officials said no collisions had occurred during the test period, and several town leaders said a few minutes of sluggish traffic is worth it if the devices improve response times.
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