Bartholomew County makes order for new police vehicles

Bartholomew County officials have taken steps to make sure new police vehicles will be on the way.

The County Commissioners yesterday ratified a purchase order made by the Sheriff’s Department for five new patrol vehicles. Earlier this month, the commissioners had approved a bid from through Country Chevrolet in North Vernon to purchase five Chevy Tahoes at a cost of $57,500 each, or just over $253 thousand dollars.

However, Capt. Brandon Slate explained that the order had to be put in immediately because the manufacturer opened a brief window where orders could be made.

Commissioners and Slate said the entire process of purchasing police vehicles has changed in recent years. Companies no longer produce a fleet of police-rated vehicles with departments having the choice to buy. Instead the manufacturers are producing the vehicles on demand in limited numbers.

The county has been struggling in recent years to purchase police vehicles, despite receiving funding from the county and trying to place orders. Slate said that with the order now in place, he was confident that the county would receive these five vehicles.