They say that “necessity is the mother of invention,” and that rings true for the team at Queen Creek.

Faced with supply chain disruptions, Queen Creek implemented changes that propelled them into success, earning them a 2025 Police Fleet Innovators Award at this year’s Government Fleet Conference and Expo.

We spoke to Gwen Black, Fleet Analyst for the town of Queen Creek, Arizona, to find out more about how their innovations moved the needle on their fleet operations. 

Planning for the Long-Term

The team at Queen Creek attributes the bulk of its success to its proactive, long-range approach to planning and procurement. “As our Town continues to experience rapid growth, we’ve implemented multi-year forecasting strategies to align fleet acquisitions with departmental expansion—most notably through a two-year vehicle purchasing plan tied directly to the police department’s five-year hiring forecast. By anticipating future needs and preparing in advance, we avoid supply chain bottlenecks and support the Town’s evolving demands,” said Black.

Part of this long-range plan included developing and executing a two-year procurement plan to combat supply chain disruptions. This $10 million initiative allowed Queen Creek to align vehicle purchases with anticipated office hires. With this system in place, Queen Creek would pre-order police-rated vehicles and upfit them before use.

Gwen Black added, “We also diversified our sourcing methods—partnering with out-of-state vendors, leveraging cooperative contracts, and pursuing direct-sale agreements to overcome local inventory constraints.”

While long-range planning has been transformative to Queen Creek’s efficiency, collaboration has also been crucial. Queen Creek’s partnership with police leadership has allowed them to align fleet growth with staffing projections. 

This partnership ensures that vehicles are procured ahead of office onboarding. It allows Queen Creek to work closely with procurement, finance, and IT to streamline ordering, stay within the budget, and support overall Town goals by keeping all stakeholders informed and aligned with objectives. 

Technology and Beyond

Tackling supply-chain disruptions is at the center of Queen Creek’s approach to increasing efficiency and productivity, and that has also influenced its technological improvements.  They have incorporated predictive analytics, structured maintenance schedules, and fleet software. These additions have improved vehicle uptime and vehicle longevity. They have also given Queen Creek a plethora of data on their vehicles and operations, allowing them to make informed decisions surrounding preventive maintenance and vehicle replacement cycles. 

“While Chevrolet Tahoe PPVs remain our core platform due to performance and safety considerations, we’ve added flexibility by integrating alternative vehicles when necessary, ensuring readiness despite production delays,” said Black.

Queen Creek is in the final stages of a new, state-of-the-art fleet maintenance facility. With additional bays and expanded storage, this new space is expected to improve service capabilities and capacity exponentially. 

They are also continuing to scale their mobile technician program, which allows for servicing police vehicles off-site and reducing downtime. Looking further ahead, they plan to integrate data analytics to enhance decision-making and long-term sustainability. 

When asked what advice Queen Creek would give to other small to mid-sized fleets looking to innovate on a limited budget, Gwen Black shared the following: 

“Start with long-term planning—think in years, not months. Even small steps toward predictive procurement can yield big returns. Focus on scalable solutions like staggered upfitting or mobile maintenance to reduce downtime and stretch limited resources. Don’t be afraid to look beyond traditional vendors—expanding your supplier network and use agreements that can offer flexibility and cost savings. Finally, invest in your people and processes—strategic staffing and improved workflows can drive efficiency.”