Avon council approves $34,848 police vehicle purchase with drug‑forfeiture funds for intelligence analyst

The Avon Town Council approved the purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer LT for the police intelligence analyst, to be paid from federal equitable‑share funds obtained through drug enforcement partnerships.

Chief of Police Sean Stoopes explained the request, saying the department participates in an Equitable Share Program with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which yields a small, restricted portion of proceeds from related seizures. "We entered into a partnership with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency called the Equitable Share Program," he said during the presentation. Stoopes said the town’s share of equitable funds available for this purchase totaled about $118,000 and that the police intelligence analyst currently uses a dated vehicle that the department wants to replace.

Stoopes said the requested vehicle is in stock at a local dealer and that staff obtained three quotes; the recommended vendor, Champion Chevrolet, offered the lowest price. The department asked council approval to purchase the vehicle for $34,847.83 and to allow the Clerk‑Treasurer to issue payment from the equitable‑share account. The vehicle will remain unmarked and carry no emergency lighting or siren since the intelligence analyst is a civilian position; the analyst uses the vehicle to transport investigative equipment and respond to scenes.

Council motioned and voted to approve the purchase; a roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval among members present. Staff said the analyst’s previous vehicle will be retained as a pool vehicle for investigators.

The council and staff discussed optics of using forfeiture‑derived funds for equipment and confirmed the money could not be used to supplant the department’s operating budget. The chief said the department considered optics and it was appropriate for the unit responsible for contributing to the equitable funds to benefit from the purchase.