Search Result: Managing a Police Fleet

The Montclair (Calif.) Police Department chose Caprice to replace its aging Crown Vics due to the spacious cabin, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 6.0-liter V-8 engine, and dynamic braking.

Rather than simply defer replacement purchases to meet short-term budget-balancing goals, fleet managers should use today's fiscal challenges to reappraise their organization's approach to fleet replacement.

Preparing a service-ready police unit may require more work than a small garage staff can handle, even with preplanning and experience. If a fleet staff is too busy maintaining in-service vehicles, outsourcing may be the solution.

"We are all looking to reduce future costs," says Chief Robert Stewart of the Cotati (Calif.) Police Department, whose department sought to save money by reducing its energy use with a new police facility. While green features added $700,000 to the project's final tab, Stewart expects a rapid return on the investment in reduced energy costs.

When law enforcement agencies were putting together their fiscal year budgets for 2008, few municipal or county administrators could have forecast the impact of skyrocketing gas prices.

It's unrealistic to believe all deaths and injuries can be prevented from traffic accidents, of course, but striving toward that goal will undoubtedly help reduce such incidents.