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Wolfeboro police to ground one cruiser, pursue repairs as fleet ages and budget tightens
Summary
Wolfeboro Police Chief reported four older cruisers showing significant rust and transmission concerns, intends to ground one vehicle for safety, will seek second mechanic evaluation, shorten service intervals and use improved undercoating; commission budget for repairs nearly spent.
Wolfeboro — The Wolfeboro Police Commission was told the department will withdraw one cruiser from patrol after a town mechanic found serious transmission problems and heavy rust on several nine-year-old vehicles.
Chief of Police said the department asked voters for two new cruisers in the last budget cycle but the request was denied, and staff are “doing what we can” to maintain the existing fleet. A highway-garage mechanic, Ben Barry, inspected four vehicles purchased or leased in 2016 and raised concerns about transmissions and rocker-panel rust, the chief said.
The chief said car 2 now has about 53,000 miles and “the useful life of the cruiser is expired,” adding it will be “grounded … not going to be a patrol vehicle” though it could be used in an absolute emergency. Cars 9 and 10 were judged salvageable for a limited time if carefully maintained; car 3 likely needs repairs soon. The chief said he will obtain an independent inspection from another mechanic and report back to the commission.
Commissioner questions focused on repair-line spending. A member identified as Mark reported the default budget for vehicle repairs this fiscal year was $88,000 and that the department has “almost spent that.” The chief said the department will shorten service intervals and use a higher-quality undercoating recommended by Ben Barry to slow further rust.
The chief framed the maintenance decisions as safety measures: “Transmissions appear to be the biggest concerns at this point,” and he cited rust that may need outside vendor work for rocker-panel patching before inspections can pass. He asked the commission for questions; none resulted in a motion altering the immediate plan.
The discussion is part of the chief’s regular report; no capital purchase was authorized during the meeting. Commissioners did not vote to reallocate budget at this meeting but acknowledged near-term repair spending will strain the current repair appropriation.
Commissioners and the chief also noted the department’s road-season workload and rough winter roads as factors accelerating wear on fleet vehicles.
The commission will receive a second mechanic’s written evaluation and the chief said he will return with further recommendations if replacement vehicles or budget amendments become necessary.
