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Norwood council approves lease for three police cruisers after chief warns of depleted fleet
Summary
Norwood City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to lease three police cruisers through Enterprise Fleet Management after Police Chief Duane Sumner told council the department is operating with only four road vehicles for a 42-officer force and that outfitting delays left recently purchased cars unusable.
At a Norwood City Council meeting, members voted unanimously to authorize the safety-service director to contract with Enterprise Fleet Management for the replacement of three police cruisers after testimony from the police chief about delayed vehicle outfitting and a depleted fleet.
Police Chief Duane Sumner told council that four vehicles the department purchased in 2024 remain out of service because outfitters have not completed work on them. “We were down to four police cruisers. We run a staff of 42 cops and we only have 4 cars to do that,” Chief Sumner said, adding that one canine vehicle has been in possession of the department for nearly a year but is still not completed.
The council moved to suspend rules and have all three readings of the ordinance in a single meeting; the suspension was moved by Mrs. Winterbauer and seconded by Mr. Garten. After discussion the council then voted to pass the ordinance; the roll call showed all members present voting yes and the motion carried.
Sumner told council the department has explored alternative outfitters and intends to use local outfitters in Northern Kentucky to avoid further delays. He said the proposed lease structure would allow the city to replace multiple cruisers at once and begin a planned vehicle rotation instead of continuing to operate very old vehicles. “At the end of the 48 months, we only have to pay $86 in the vehicle’s RRs,” Sumner said when describing the lease’s residual structure.
Councilmember Bridal acknowledged support for public safety but raised fiscal questions about past council decisions. “We voted to destroy $55,000 worth of guns that were confiscated by the police department which would pay one of these cruisers off,” Bridal said, urging the council to keep budget trade-offs in view.
Mayor Mary Victor Schneider asked whether the department had missed calls because of the shortage; Sumner said the department had not yet missed runs but added, “Our response time would be severely delayed” if capacity fell further. Schneider said the leasing approach reflects fleet-management practice and defended the decision as a way to keep officers safe and vehicles reliable.
The ordinance was passed as an emergency measure. Chief Sumner and council members said the city will move forward quickly with the new outfitter to place leased cruisers into service and to establish a more sustainable rotation for the fleet.
