Council approves new rides for WMPD

Council approves new rides for WMPD

Police fleet to gain five new Tahoes with $ 250,000 price tag

news@theeveningtimes.com

It was a lights and sirens kind of day at the final July meeting of the West Memphis Council. The West Memphis Police Department received a blue light special at the meeting to purchase more vehicles.

Mayor Bill Johnson explained the expenditures to city council and a small crowd in the council chambers.

“We’ve been trying to replace five cars a year,” said Johnson. “This let’s us renew our fleet every three or four years.”

The city purchased the vehicles at the state contract price which will be delivered completely equipped except for city striping. In the past the police department bought the cars and had to shuttle them to be outfitted with some of the lights, cameras and communication equipment. The one-stop shopping places the new Tahoes in service sooner.

“It’s the sole source provider,” said Johnson.

“They provide all the equipment in the vehicle including cameras. We’ll pick the cars up and all we’ll have to do is get them striped.”

The City moved to a bare bones Chevy Tahoe made for police service in recent years when production of the Ford Crown Victoria ceased. Prices for the Tahoe have risen with demand, as it has become the vehicle of choice for many police fleets pushing up the cost.

“The Tahoe has been very successful since they quit Crown Victoria production,”

said Johnson with a

hint of sarcasm. “The Tahoe has only gone up $10,000 since then.”

An unequipped base model now sells for $35,000. Equipped to the West Memphis Police Department’s

specifications,

the vehicles will be delivered at almost $50,000 per truck.

“They started out at $25,000,” said Johnson.

“They got everybody hooked on them and now they’ve raised the price, but they are the best for the purpose we’ve found.”

Johnson outlined the expense and said the dealer had to round up the last few available this year.

“This is for five vehicles at approximately $250,000,” said Johnson. “We budget these as we buy them. City Council has given the administration in times past to make a bank loan to finance them. We may not do have to do that this time.

We are working it out.”

“They are holding the cars for us,” said Johnson.

“They were the last five available. They are very scarce. They had to get some from North Carolina.”

Council heard the ordinance to buy the police cars read out completely and the city issued a purchase order. Johnson explained the purchase in light of the state bid contract price.

“Under law in the State of Arkansas we are authorized to buy certain items on state bid contract,” said Johnson. “It is the legal way for us to buy vehicles.

Most of the time the state bid price is less than what we’d have to pay.”

By John Rech