GREENFIELD — The city has pledged to buy several new police vehicles for the third year in a row.
Greenfield Police Chief Jeff Rasche this week asked the Greenfield Board of Public Works and Safety to approve the purchase of seven new vehicles for the police department — two Ford Tauruses, four Chevrolet Tahoes and one GMC Acadia — as well as safety equipment and supplies, totaling $276,323.
The payment for the vehicles and equipment will come from the city’s local option income tax fund, money set aside for public safety expenses. Following the board of works approval of the purchases a day prior, the city council on Wednesday evening gave its preliminary OK to use tax funds to pay for the vehicles and equipment. The council is expected to OK the appropriation on second and third reading on March 27.
The police department has replaced almost half of its 50-car fleet over the past three years. Rasche said the city has a six-year vehicle rotation plan, which began in 2017. That year, the city bought nine vehicles for more than $300,000. Last year, the department received six new vehicles at a cost of $225,000.
“By putting them on a rotation and keeping them fresh on our fleet, it cuts down on maintenance issues; it keeps the (officers) happy,” Rasche said. “And we want our equipment to look nice.”
Rasche said his goal is to rotate out six to seven vehicles a year at a cost of $250,000 to $260,000. Buying a seventh car and updating the kennels for three K-9 officer vehicles boosted the price for the current proposal, he said.
Each Taurus costs $25,412; the Tahoes are $35,310 apiece; and the Acadia figures to $31,538. The remaining $50,000 will be spent on equipment, such as lights and sirens, radar units and three kennels. Rasche said the department is able to reuse the computers from each of the six vehicles that will be replaced, as well as in-car cameras and other pieces of equipment that still operate well.
The department plans to trade in some of the older police cars and will add others to the city’s stockpile of “pool cars” — vehicles that officers can use if their cars are out of service, Rasche said. The department will then sell off some of the outdated pool cars to refresh the inventory.
Once the city council approves the payment, Rasche said the department will promptly order the cars.
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The Greenfield Police Department may soon purchase several new vehicles and other safety equipment, totaling up to $276,323.
2 Ford Tauruses — $50,825
4 Chevrolet Tahoes — $141,240
1 GMC Acadia — $31,538
7 light and siren packages — $36,714
2 K-9 kennels — $5,420
Misc equipment — $10,586
Source: Greenfield Police Department
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