Police acquire new cruisers
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
Three local police departments have acquired new cruisers, as part of the normal equipment replacement process.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
OFFICER ETHAN DOODY, of the Washburn Police Department, is pictured with the department’s new cruiser at the Thomas Brewer Park. The WPD now has two vehicles, with plans to keep the old cruiser as a backup and animal transport unit.
The Washburn Police Department purchased a 2013 Ford Taurus Interceptor earlier this year.
“We purchased it through the normal budget process. Our other vehicle, a 2007 Crown Victoria, had 140,000 miles on it. It was time to upgrade,” said Chief Roy Guidry, of the WPD. “It’s not costing the taxpayers extra, since we budgeted for replacing our cruiser and had enough money to buy a new one this year.”
Guidry said the Crown Vic will be kept as a back-up unit, giving the department two cruisers instead of just the one car.
“The Ford is fully equipped for police work and cost $28,500. It is all-wheel drive. It was purchased in mid-May at York’s in Houlton,” said Guidry, noting the all-wheel drive feature will “help in winter conditions.”
“The sticker price was $37,000 but with incentives, it brought the price down,” he said.
Guidry said the old cruiser is still usable but was “getting unreliable.”
“We’ve updated the graphics on the new car but kept the color scheme, so folks in town will recognize it. Everyone at the WPD will use it,” said Guidry. “We’ve put in a new LED lighting system. We have a new radio, thanks to an EMA grant.”
“The Crown Vic will still be used as a backup and for animal transport,” said Guidry.
The Fort Fairfield Police Department also has a new unit.
“We acquired a 2014 Ford Interceptor on July 1. It replaced an aging cruiser — a 2008 model. The new one’s all-wheel drive,” said Chief Bill Campbell, of the FFPD.
The Presque Isle Police Department is also in line for a new car, following finalization of the 2013 budget.
“The city and our department had to wait until revenue sharing was determined. We opted to delay purchasing a vehicle until that was decided; we didn’t want to spend money we didn’t have,” said Chief Matt Irwin, of the PIPD.
Irwin said the department will obtain the car later this fall.
“We expect to pick it up sometime this fall. It will be a Ford Interceptor — an all-wheel drive cruiser, the same as last year’s purchase,” said Irwin.
