Department adds half a dozen patrol cars, with plans for more
soon
Thanks to grant funds, the Hollister Police Department has six
new 2009 Ford Crown Victorias that will replace part of the aging
fleet of patrol cars. All six new vehicles are also flex-fuel
compatible, according to a release from the department.
Department adds half a dozen patrol cars, with plans for more soon
Thanks to grant funds, the Hollister Police Department has six new 2009 Ford Crown Victorias that will replace part of the aging fleet of patrol cars. All six new vehicles are also flex-fuel compatible, according to a release from the department.
One of the most notable differences between the old and new cars, besides their age, is the paint job. The six new cars are painted in what the release calls “traditional black and white” instead of the all-white design with blue writing.
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said having black and white cruisers is like those “a lot of agencies” have and that he likes them aesthetically.
“I’ve always liked the look of a black and white police car,” Miller said.
He added that these cars look different than other police agencies in the county – the California Highway Patrol and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office – with four white doors instead of the two on CHP’s cruisers.
The average life of a patrol car in most departments is approximately two years, and the department’s current fleet hasn’t been updated for about seven years. In a press release HPD staff noted that it is common for these cars to provide seven or more years of service before needing to be replaced. With the department assigning each officer his or her patrol car, Miller contended, the cruisers allow for greater care and maintenance and less around-the-clock use.
To get the six new patrol cars on the road cost roughly $213,000 with equipment. Miller said the department is still looking at some modifications for the cars.
The grant money came from the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund, and Miller said the department recently received word that it has received a Justice Assistance Grant, which will pay for two more cars.
On top of that, Miller is looking at additional grant funding to replace more of the aging Crown Victoria fleet without using general fund money.
“Officers work hard to keep up these cars,” he said. “During all this budget time … we’ve managed not to have to buy cars and now we have the money to replace the cars that need to be replaced.”
