With a tight budget this year, the Gainesboro Police Department needed a deal on some used patrol vehicles and they found it.
Three used patrol vehicles for a combined price of $8,500. Gainesboro Police Chief Michael Smith said he originally was looking for one patrol vehicle to replace a vehicle that was wrecked. Smith said he was able to get the three vehicles after having conversations with a police department near Orlando, FL.
“They sent me an email and stated that they had three vehicles for $8,5000,” Smith said. “I told them the size of Gainesboro and the size of the department, and how we was kind of a poor department and everything, and I guess the chief of police felt sorry for me.”
Smith said the vehicles come fully equipped, which saves the town of Gainesboro an estimated $17,000. Smith said getting the patrol vehicles is a significant win for the town.
“They’re going to replace the three patrol cars that we have that have got the highest mileage on them,” Smith said. “It’s also going to be an upgrade for our K9 unit. It’s a little bit bigger for our K9. It has an air conditioner in the back for our K9 and just a bunch of things that we were not able to afford.”
Smith said each vehicle has about an estimated 80,000 miles on them. Smith said though many may question the low price, the vehicles are in great condition.
“They let Ford do all the maintenance on their cars except for changing the brakes and tires,” Smith said. “I’m having each one checked by a mechanic, and I just had one getting ready to get striped, and so I had him check it out and it had to have a set of spark plugs, and that’s about it.”
Smith said the department will have to install its radio system into the vehicles, and the vehicles should be ready for patrol. Smith said the police department does not need any more vehicles, but if a similar deal comes along, he won’t turn it down.
