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Council approves purchase of police interceptor and grant-funded K‑9 program continuation
Summary
The council approved buying a 2025 Ford Police Interceptor to support the Aberdeen Police Department’s K‑9 program using a $66,710 state drug-control grant and asset-forfeiture funds; staff said the current dog is about eight years old and the program is one-on-one officer-animal pairing.
The City Council approved staff’s request to purchase a 2025 Ford Police Interceptor to support the Aberdeen Police Department’s K‑9 program and accepted related grant-funded support.
Chief McNeil described the K‑9 program and said the department was awarded $66,710 from the South Dakota Attorney General’s drug-control fund and that asset-forfeiture funds will help pay for a new dog, vehicle and equipment. The chief said the current dog is approximately eight years old and that “the national average for a lifespan of an operational dog is about 7,” which supported continuing the program.
Staff requested $44,001.43 for the vehicle purchase (the amount announced at the meeting), and the council approved the purchase by roll call. The chief explained the vehicle is a police-package Ford Interceptor that requires regional procurement in the current season because specialized police packages are scarce locally.
Council questions focused on how many officers are partnered with animals (the chief said each dog is partnered 1:1 with an officer) and on procurement choices; staff said they attempted to locate local options but selected a regional vendor in Iowa because availability was limited.
Action: Motion to approve purchase of a 2025 Ford Police Interceptor (vehicle cost announced in the meeting as $44,001.43) and to accept grant funding to continue the K‑9 program passed by roll call.
