The Knox City Police Department is currently down one police cruiser after an officer struck a deer and totaled the vehicle. Fortunately, Mayor Rick Chambers told the city council this week that the insurance company totaled the vehicle and reimbursed the city $6900 for the 2007 Crown Victoria, but Chambers said that reimbursement isn’t quite enough to cover the cost of a new vehicle.
Chambers told the council that the police department has no money in its budget this year for a new car, which runs approximately $22,000. Because Crown Victorias are no longer manufactured for police use, Chambers explained the equipment that was in the cruiser is also essentially useless, putting the city out another $7000. Chambers indicated that Police Chief Clint Norem is going to try to get that amount reimbursed as well, but because the equipment wasn’t damaged in the wreck, Chambers said he doesn’t have his hopes up.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston said that if it comes down to it, the city should purchase another Dodge Charger for police use, since most of the department’s vehicles are Chargers and the equipment would be interchangeable in case of an accident.
While the police department is down one vehicle, Chambers said the detective could drive one of the two patrol cars available for use. However, if the detective is not on patrol but conducting an investigation, he may have to use the department’s spare Chevrolet Tahoe with well over 100,000 miles and a variety of mechanical issues.
Chambers said he will wait to hear back from the insurance company as to whether or not they will cover another $7000 for the equipment that is unusable before asking for a solution as to how to purchase a new vehicle for the department.
