Council approves auction or disposal of obsolete police equipment

The council approved staff’s request to auction or dispose of obsolete Police Department equipment removed from patrol vehicles, including outdated radios, radar and LIDAR guns, light bars and cage components. The police chief told council the equipment is obsolete and many items were kept for spare parts but are no longer serviceable. “We are going to try to auction some of this equipment,” the chief said during the discussion.

Staff said all items have been inventoried and photographed; finance will post the lot(s) to the city’s online auction site once the meeting minutes are finalized. The chief said the items often sell in bulk (pallets of light bars or other parts) and that some pieces originated from older Crown Victoria and Ford Interceptor patrol vehicles; changes in vehicle body styles mean some components are no longer interchangeable.

Council briefly discussed whether smaller departments could reuse the equipment; staff said much of the radio gear is too obsolete for operational reuse but might be purchased for parts. The council member who made the motion moved to approve the recommendation “as presented.” The motion passed; no additional conditions were recorded.