ORANGEBURG, SC - The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office rolled out new Dodge Chargers in late February, replacing Ford Crown Victoria sedans, according to a release from the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said, "After we replace the 2004 models, we still have a number of vehicles that also exceed the County's vehicle replacement policy. Simply put, we have a number of vehicles that according to County policy should have been replaced years ago. The Chargers are part of an allocation that the County of Orangeburg has promised to fund annually in order that our vehicles will spend more time on the road and less time in the shop."

Officers were issued the new vehicles Feb. 24 after completing a driving course at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.

Bid results posted on the county website stated the 20 vehicles had been purchased for $24,311 each. The Times and Democrat reported that only 10 vehicles had been delivered, with 10 more to be delivered later. The paper also reported that a total of 88 vehicles had been requested, but lack of funding limited the number of vehicles that could be purchased.