County accepts two vehicle donations for sheriff’s use amid public questions about maintenance

Del Norte County supervisors voted to accept two vehicle donations for sheriff’s operations: a 1954 vintage police vehicle donated by the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Posse and a patrol vehicle donated by the Yurok Tribal Police.

The sheriff told the board the donations were funded by private contributions and that the sheriff’s posse — a nonprofit that supports the department — will be responsible for maintenance, storage and upkeep of the vintage vehicle. “There’s not a dime of government money that has come out of this,” a representative for the sheriff’s office said. He added the donations were meant to foster community engagement and would be used at public events and parades.

Public comment included criticism from residents who asked who would maintain the vehicles and whether the county should accept donated vehicles that create ongoing maintenance obligations. One resident urged that donated vehicles belong in museums and questioned use of community volunteer time and funds for restoration. The sheriff responded that the posse would maintain the vehicle and that community support had funded the acquisition.

Why it matters: Donations can be cost‑effective for agencies but raise questions about long‑term maintenance, insurance and storage responsibilities. The board clarified that no county funds were used to acquire the vintage car and that the posse would assume maintenance responsibilities.

Action taken: The board approved acceptance of both donations; votes were recorded as yes from all supervisors. No additional county funding was authorized for vehicle maintenance in the meeting.

Ending: Accepting community donations remains a mechanism for the sheriff’s office to obtain historical or operational vehicles at minimal county expense, but the discussion highlighted the need for clear agreements on maintenance and storage for donated assets.