Police to get 57 new cars for $1.2M

Dodges, Fords to be purchased

By Brittany Butcher,
Staff Writer

Twenty-two new Dodge Chargers will be added to the Wilmington Police Department fleet.

Hitting the streets with the muscle cars will be 35 new Ford Crown Victorias.

Sixteen of the Chargers and all of the Crown Victorias will be outfitted as patrol cars, while six Chargers will be unmarked cars used in the police department's take-home program.

City Fleet Manager Ed Thorpe said the police department will be replacing 48 vehicles this year and adding a few to the 239-vehicle fleet.

The total cost for the 57 new cars is $1,210,065.

Thorpe said the cars are paid for through the fleet replacement fund. Money in the fund comes from fees charged by Fleet Management, which owns the vehicles and leases them to the city, with a portion set aside for new vehicles.

Lt. Kathy Cochran, who heads the vehicle replacement program for the police department, said the Chargers have been well received by the officers.

"Officers' comments have been positive about the handling of the vehicle," she said. The Chargers have tested well according to other law enforcement agencies around the nation, she noted.

Chief Ralph Evangelous is also a fan of the car and was looking to add more to the fleet, Thorpe said.

Wilmington City Council member Jason Thompson expressed concerns at last week's meeting about purchasing two different types of cars. His basis for hesitation comes from general maintenance and upkeep costs. If one type of car is a proven a better choice, then why not buy all of the same car, he said.

Cochran said the department is testing the new technology Dodge is offering, adding a little bit of variety to the fleet.

She also mentioned that Ford, possibly feeling the sting of losing money to Dodge through law enforcement contracts, upped the ante this year with an improved warranty.

Both auto makers offer a 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty. Ford's extra incentive in 2006 came with a 5-year, 60,000 mile power-train warranty - a bet Dodge didn't match.

Putting all the cards on the table, though, Ford plans to phase out the Crown Victoria in the next four to six years.

Consumer Guide Automotive's Web site confirms that fact, and opines that the Dodge Charger is a better-handling car: "Large-car traditionalists may have lingering affection for the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis. But these cars are ancient in design terms, so they're far less nimble and efficient than the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Toyota Avalon, and Ford's own Five Hundred and Mercury Montego."

Cochran said the department wasn't necessarily phasing in Chargers, just giving the cars a good test run. The department previously purchased some Chevy Impalas for the same purpose but found the cars weren't holding up to the standards patrol cars need to meet.