Westborough police describe cruiser-replacement schedule as deliveries lag and mileage climbs

Lieutenant Cliff Luce presented the police fleet replacement plan to the Capital Expenses Planning Committee, arguing that a steady replacement schedule preserves officer safety, reduces maintenance costs and brings newer safety and technology features into patrol operations.

Luce said the department identified cruisers needing replacement that are now about four years old, with some vehicles reporting more than 100,000 miles and elevated 'idle hours' — hours a vehicle is running while parked — which his team converts into equivalent mileage to assess wear. He said three cruisers ordered after March town meeting have not been delivered yet because vendors are still building the vehicles.

On the department’s lifecycle target, Luce said his goal is to get two to three years of effective service from newest cruisers but acknowledged some cruisers remain in service longer. The lieutenant described maintenance examples, including a roughly $3,000 water-pump repair on an older car, to illustrate rising upkeep costs.

Committee members questioned whether missing deliveries were hybrids; Luce said two of the three outstanding vehicles are hybrid models and one is gas. A committee member noted that the Green Communities criterion no longer considers cruisers nonexempt (meaning cruisers are exempt from a specific requirement at present), which may affect vehicle specifications in future planning.

On cost, members referenced prior totals near $225,000 for three vehicles; Luce said he applied a 3% escalation in projections to estimate current replacement costs and expects the department can secure and outfit three cruisers within the present estimate.

The committee did not vote on a funding authorization at the meeting; members asked for follow-up details on delivery timing and any vendor updates.