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Council debate stalls police vehicle purchase as spending concerns mount
Summary
Warwick council and administration clashed over a request to buy patrol vehicles worth roughly $525,000; council members pressed for limits amid broader fiscal worries while police and administration argued replacements are needed for reliable public safety service.
The finance committee and later the full council wrestled with a police request to buy eight Ford police utility vehicles on a cooperative contract, a package that includes upfitting and totals $524,892.56.
Major Robert Hart of the police department told the committee the 2025 package would replenish patrol, supervisor and specialty units and that the vehicles are in stock and ready for equipment installation. “These vehicles are in stock on the lot, but they have to be upfitted,” he said, adding the vendor would fast‑track installations.
Opposition centered on the pace and scale of replacements. A council member said the city is seeing “spending bleed” and said replacing as many as 18 vehicles in a single fiscal year across requests concerns him. That member moved to amend the purchase to four vehicles; the amendment failed in committee.
Administration officials and the police department urged the council to approve the full package. Chief of staff Bill Fasenditi and others argued the city’s fleet plan is based on fleet‑manager recommendations and stressed public‑safety risks from deferring vehicle replacement. The administration noted the vendor loyalty discount on the eight‑vehicle buy and said buying now saves roughly $2,000 per vehicle versus later purchases.
After extended questioning about fleet size, vehicle lifecycles and prior purchases, the committee could not reach a recommendation and sent the item to the full council with no recommendation. At the full council, additional motioning, reconsideration and compromise proposals followed; members discussed splitting the difference to approve fewer vehicles, but ultimately a motion to approve the full eight failed and discussion was held to a later meeting so members can review replacement timing and procurement timing for in‑stock vehicles.
What’s next: The council held the item for its next meeting (October 6) so members can get additional detail from fleet management on urgency, alternative timing and potential cost implications of delaying a vote.
