Lebanon police replaces cruisers

Lebanon police officers have six new cruisers on patrol with six more coming soon.

The new cruisers are replacements for outdated cruisers.

“Once they hit 100,000 miles, you start to have issues,” said Chief Scott Bowen.

The department currently has about 47 patrol cruisers in its fleet.

The new vehicles, 2012 Chevrolet Caprices, replace the department’s familiar Ford Crown Victorias.

“The issue that we had to deal with is the Crown Victoria, which we’ve been using probably the past 10-15 years as a police-packaged vehicle, is no longer sold,” said Bowen.

The department was able to bid and get the replacement vehicles locally at Wilson County Motors.

The 12 vehicles each feature V-8 engines with flex-fuel capability and include 10-year or 100,000-mile warranties.

Each vehicle costs $26,310 without equipment, and the necessary add-on equipment costs about $4,000 per vehicle, according to Bowen.

“None of this money comes from the general fund,” said Bowen. “A certain amount of traffic citation money and traffic school money is set aside in an account, and that is what we use [to buy the vehicles].”

The vehicles are equipped using drug-fund money.

Staff writer Sara McManamy-Johnson can be reached at 615-444-3952, ext. 16 or sjohnson@lebanondemocrat.com.

Photo: Submitted Photo

Lebanon police have added six 2012 Chevrolet Caprices to the department's patrol fleet and will soon add six more.