CAPE CORAL, FL – In mid-March, 2012, the City of Cape Coral, Fla., approved the purchase of 40 patrol cars to replace a number of existing vehicles, all of which have more than 100,000 miles on them, according to the City.

As for the type of patrol car, Coral’s Chief of Police Jay Murphy said they decided to go with the Dodge Charger Pursit. The patrol cars the City is replacing will be sold on an online auction site.

The City’s Mayor John Sullivan questioned the need to purchase new vehicles and instead suggested that refurbishing the vehicles could be more cost-effective, but the police chief said that new police vehicles will be much more fuel efficient than the current models.

The City’s Acting City Manager Steve Neff said the fleet services employees with the City already have a full workload, so replacing the vehicles would help not only benefit the police department but also free up time to better service the public works department’s vehicles.

The total value of the equipment purchased, based on City Council meeting documents, is $2,100,000. The City issued an RFP for a lease purchase finance deal, and a budget amendment is required for the purchase. The City stated that the associated annual debt service will be covered by the additional $440,000 included in the FY-2012 capital equipment reserve fund.

The vehicle purchase would “piggyback” on awards made by organizations such as the State of Florida, Florida Sheriffs Association/Fire Chiefs Association, City of Tallahassee, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and National Joint Powers Alliance.

The City Council decided to go with a leasing agreement for the new vehicles, as of a recent city council meeting.

By Greg Basich