The Lake County Sheriff’s Department has purchased 20 new police vehicles and two 4×4 pick-up trucks as part of its annual vehicle replacement program.
Lake County Commissioners Wednesday took bids for paint on the vehicles — as well as outfitting them with lights, sirens and equipment — under advisement.
After the meeting, Commissioners’ President Michael Repay, D-Hammond, said the vehicles were purchased through the state’s quantity purchase agreement (QPA) from Bloomington Ford-Lincoln. Items purchased through the QPA do not have to go through the bidding procedure.
“The vehicles are part of the annual vehicle replacement,” Repay said.
Vehicles purchased in the replacement program this year include 20 police Ford Interceptor Utility AWD police vehicles. Sixteen of those vehicles will be for patrol and four will be unmarked. The vehicles cost $50,717.25 each for a total of $1,014,345. Two Ford F150 Police Responder 4×4 trucks also were purchased for $49,975.25 each.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said the oldest vehicles in the department’s fleet that will be replaced this year are the 2015 model year patrol units.
“These vehicles are in our annual purchase that we do to replace older vehicles. The cars were ordered some time ago and were approved on a state bid,” Martinez said.
