BAINBRIDGE, GA– Decatur County Commissioners have agreed to upgrade aging vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office and Fire and Rescue to save money and provide better emergency response vehicles, according to the Bainbridge Post Searchlight. Four new patrol cars and one new transport van to be used by the County Jail will be purchased.

Sheriff Wiley Griffin said his agency annually has to replace vehicles when they surpass 175,000 miles of travel; in actuality, the vehicles’ engines have about three times that level of mileage due to frequent idling when deputies are performing stationary radar or left running while deputies are out of their car performing duties.

Griffin said eight new vehicles had been budgeted but said he was only requesting six new vehicles at this time. At Griffin’s suggestion, the board agreed to purchase two Ford Crown Victorias and three Dodge Chargers.