SAUGUS — If you’re looking for a guy who genuinely cares about his craft, look no further than Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano.

Beyond being a dedicated member of the Saugus Police Department, Montano’s hardworking attention to detail is evident in every aspect of his life. In his spare time, Montano moonlights as an auto enthusiast, recreating iconic movie cars. Those passions for police work and vintage cars intersected when Montano outfitted this retro police cruiser, truly showcasing his passion for authenticity.

Altogether, Montano has nine cars, including the Jurassic Park Jeep, the Super Trooper’s Cruiser, Deadpool’s Taxi, and a 1989-vintage Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car. He noted that he always goes all in on these projects because if he’s going to replicate something, why not make it as perfect as possible?

The 1989 cruiser became a project for Montano when he bought it back in 2021 and lucked out when Mike Kraus from Mike’s Auto Body immediately said he’d work on it. Montano was extremely grateful for the work Kraus and the shop did, noting that it isn’t the typical car you’d see in the lot.

“My buddy was actually going to do a car for his father, who passed away. He was a Danvers cop, but at the time, he didn’t have the money, and he had this car. I said ‘Well, don’t let it rot. Let me do something with it.’ I bought it from him, and the rest is history. I called Mike and said ‘Mike, what do you think?’ And he goes, ‘Let’s do it.’”

The cruiser was then brought back to life in every little detail, and Montano proved this by pulling out a photo.

“I got it from a Beverly cop. That’s actually him in the photo,” Montano said, pointing to two men standing in front of the cruiser. “He was a Beverly sergeant, but a Saugus reserve for about two years. And he goes, ‘Yeah, Dom, I got a picture of your car that you built.’ It’s cool to have this. It has the exact lightbar, the writing, everything’s the same… It’s really cool to have the exact car in front of us.”

Montano noted that he even has the radio hooked up to the stations, and when he popped the trunk, he pulled out the recreation of an old uniform, an old baton, handcuffs, an old Boston Globe paper from 1989, and even a throwback Dunkin’ Donuts mug.

When asked what made him so interested in vintage cars, he said that this specific piece had to do with the history of the police in general.

“I have a lot of friends who do antique police cars. This friend of mine, Mike Hill, he’s a Watertown police officer, and years ago he did a very similar car… I thought it was so cool… Then I got into this group of vintage police cruisers. Now there’s 60 or 70 of them that are all across Massachusetts,” he said.

Montano then launched the Cars and Cops car show, saying that you don’t really take old cruisers to car shows and that this was the perfect place for them.

“The show is to try and bridge the gap between the police force and the community. In the last six years, or whatever the case may be, police and the community have definitely gone their separate ways… It’s kind of a pendulum. We’re never going to have the community completely on our side… There’s always bad apples everywhere. Unfortunately, there are some guys who choose to do some stupid stuff, and that 10% or 20% overshadows the good people,” he said.

Montano said the show creates a space that shows people they can speak to police officers and that they’re humans too.

“This is just clothes,” he said, referring to the uniform they wear, “it’s not Iron Man’s suit…. I try to bring home that community feel.”

Montano’s vintage cruiser will be making an appearance at this year’s show on Aug. 1 at the Saugus High School parking lot, one of many cruisers and cars that will be parked for people to check out.

The front grille of Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989.

The hood ornament of Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored Car 12, a Saugus patrol car from 1989, back to its original condition.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored Car 12, a Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989, back to its original condition.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored Car 12, a Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989, back to its original condition.

A new light bar sits atop the 1989 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car that Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored.

A walkie talkie sits on the dash of Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989.

A custom license plate for the 1989 Ford Crown Victoria Saugus Police patrol car that Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989 has every detail you’d expect to find back in the day.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989 has every detail you’d expect to find back in the day.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano’s restored Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989 cruises around the parking lot at Mike’s Autobody in Saugus.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored Car 12, a Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989, back to its original condition.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano restored Car 12, a Saugus Police Ford Crown Victoria patrol car from 1989, back to its original condition.

Saugus Police Officer Domenic Montano holds up an old photo of his 1989 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car that he restored.