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Plainfield council approves police grants, vehicle purchases and continued Byrne JAG funding
Summary
Council approved resolutions to accept a distracted-driver enforcement grant, purchase two Chevrolet Malibu sedans (not to exceed $146,845) for the police fleet, and continue use of Byrne JAG funding that typically provides about $36,000 per year for equipment and traffic-safety devices.
The Plainfield City Council approved a cluster of police-department measures that the department said will sustain traffic-safety enforcement, modernize part of the patrol fleet and support equipment purchases funded by federal grants.
City records and staff statements at the meeting said the measures included: accepting the New Jersey Division of Highway Safety distracted-driver enforcement grant (the police director characterized the grant as recurring and noted explanatory public-education efforts can accompany enforcement); authorizing purchase of two Chevrolet Malibu LS sedans from Height Ridge Fleet Services for a total not to exceed $146,845 (identified in the meeting as R159-25); and accepting an annual Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) allocation the department typically receives (about $36,000 per year, shown in the record as R160-25) for equipment such as stationary radar signs and traffic-enforcement technology.
Why it matters: the grants and vehicle purchases fund day-to-day police operations and traffic-safety programs. Department leaders said the purchases replace or supplement an older fleet and that Byrne JAG funds have been used for radar, lidar and other enforcement technology.
Discussion highlights and staff clarifications
- The police director said the distracted-driver grant requires no local fiscal match and is used both for enforcement and public-education efforts.
- On vehicles: the director said the two Malibus would add to the patrol fleet as older vehicles are retired; he reported the department has reduced its highest-mileage vehicles and typically retires vehicles when maintenance costs escalate (he cited a practical retirement threshold discussed at the meeting in the area of 70,000 miles).
- Electric vehicles: the director said the department does not yet operate fully electric patrol vehicles and will await wider municipal charging-station availability before procuring EV cruisers. The Department of Public Works told council it is pursuing Level 2 charging-station installations for the municipal fleet in a separate procurement.
- Byrne JAG: the director said the department historically receives approximately $36,000 per year and intends to use funds for radar signs and other traffic- and public-safety equipment.
Votes and process: The police resolutions were moved onto the voting meeting and were approved as part of the consent agenda; the clerk recorded the consent-agenda roll call as adopted by the council during the voting portion of the session.
Next steps: staff said vehicle procurement will proceed under the terms of the resolution and that grant-acceptance documents will be executed as required by state and federal agencies. The department said it will return to council with plans if and when it selects electric vehicles dependent on charging infrastructure.
