Police Department to Get New Vehicles

The next time you see a police cruiser on the side of the road, it may look a bit different.

The Town Council unanimously approved a resolution last week approving the purchase of four new vehicles for the West Hartford Police Department. The estimated cost of $119,000 will be paid out of the Capital Non-Recurring Expenditure Fund, a portion of the department's Private Duty Fund where the monies earned from police officers' work at extra security jobs, such as at construction sites, are deposited.

The Crown Victorias which now comprise the department's fleet are now out of production. "The police fleet is driven 24 hours a day, and we haven't replaced the vehicles for a couple of years," Town Manager Ron Van Winkle told the Town Council when he proposed the resolution.

Van Winkle said that an analysis of new police car models has been conducted, and three of the proposed replacement vehicles will be Interceptors – a specialized vehicle based on the body of a Ford Taurus. The department will also purchase a new Ford Explorer.

The old vehicles will be sold off, although some in good shape might be kept for spares, Van Winkle said.

Police cars are expected to last a minumum of two years, but Van Winkle said that the department tries to stretch that to three or four years.

It is anticipated that five police vehicles will need to be replaced next year.