NASHUA, NH — Nashua city cars and trucks would be more visible on the roadways under a plan backed by an aldermanic committee to require that city seals and department names be attached to the vehicles, according to the Nashua Telegraph newspaper. Police and fire vehicles would be largely exempt, despite some objections from the proposal's author. The legislation is one of four ordinances under consideration by the Board of Aldermen in the wake of Mayor Bernie Streeter being charged two months ago with leaving the scene of an accident when he was at the wheel of a city-leased car. Alderman-at-Large David Deane exchanged heated words with Fire Chief Roger Hatfield at a meeting of the Personnel/Administrative Affairs Committee about putting seals on four vehicles used by fire executives. Hatfield said the department has magnetic facsimiles of Nashua Fire Rescue's arm patch that make more sense than using the city seal. But he objected to making them permanent fixtures, as the proposal mandated. He said the department at times uses the vehicles for investigations with the Police Department, and identification on the vehicles would not be helpful. As it was written, the proposal exempted police vehicles, and the committee modified it to exempt fire department vehicles as well. In the end, Hatfield said he and the fire commissioners would discuss having a seal on the vehicles, except during the few times they are needed for investigations. The vehicles are three Ford Explorer sport/utility vehicles and a Crown Victoria sedan. Meanwhile, Nashua Fire Rescue has already made changes to its own policy covering city cars, said the fire chief. Hatfield said a new policy forbids four division superintendents from taking home city vehicles.
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