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Police present capital requests: about $950,000 for patrol cars, $135,000 for gas pumps, $30,000 for crisis equipment
Summary
Norwalk police presented capital budget items including roughly $950,000 to replace about 10 frontline patrol cars, $135,000 to replace aged fuel pumps and canopy, and $30,000 for crisis “throw phones” for negotiators; officials said vehicle upfits raise per-unit costs and supply-chain delays affect procurement.
Officials from Norwalk Police told the Public Safety and General Governments Committee on Feb. 27 that the department’s capital requests for the upcoming fiscal year include vehicle fleet replacement, fuel pump upgrades, and crisis-response communications equipment.
Deputy Chief Lepore (identified in committee remarks) outlined three primary capital requests: roughly $950,000 to purchase about 10 frontline patrol cars (including upfit costs such as lights, sirens, computers and cages), $135,000 to replace a two-decade-old fueling island and pumps at the department’s fueling facility, and $30,000 for crisis-response communications equipment — described as deployable “throw phones” used by negotiators for barricade or hostage situations. Lepore said the department fell behind on vehicle replacements during COVID-related supply delays and is now trying to catch up; he said the department had budgeted two electric vehicles for school resource officers as part of the request.
Lepore described the vehicle cost breakdown as roughly $60,000 per vehicle for the base unit plus about $30,000 per vehicle in upfit and equipment. Committee members asked whether purchases could be split across years; Lepore said the department preferred buying a larger tranche now because supply constraints and rising prices could make later purchases costlier. He said state contract pricing would be used for vehicle purchases.
Committee members thanked police staff for trimming operating requests and asked for confirmation of priorities; Lepore reiterated that fuel pumps and vehicles are the department’s highest capital priorities for the coming year.
No formal committee vote on the police capital list was recorded during the Feb. 27 meeting; the presentation was informational and intended to inform the broader budget process.
