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Sheriff asks Columbia County to buy patrol vehicle while leased Durango undergoes lemon‑law review
Summary
Columbia County’s sheriff told the board a leased patrol Durango used for drone and task‑force work has repeatedly failed; he asked the board to consider purchasing a replacement now (about $77,000) to avoid service gaps while the manufacturer conducts diagnostics under a potential lemon‑law process.
The sheriff told the Columbia County Board of Commissioners that a leased 2022 Dodge Durango used for patrol and to carry the department’s drone rig has suffered repeated failures and is now undergoing manufacturer diagnostics under Stellantis’ oversight. The department has pursued warranty repairs and contacted the leasing company, Bancorp, and its procurement partner ERS, but problems persist.
“The car is basically a piece of crap,” the sheriff said, describing incidents in which the vehicle lost power and had to be pushed into a parking stall and a deputy had to jump‑start it repeatedly. He said the vehicle has seen multiple failures — dead batteries, a camshaft replacement and air‑conditioning problems — and that technicians have not been able to identify a durable fix.
Staff told commissioners the Durango will be towed to a Walla Walla dealership for diagnostics and that Stellantis will oversee the technicians to determine whether the vehicle qualifies for a lemon‑law buyback or can be repaired under warranty. No timeline was available; staff said the process could take months.
Because the Durango also houses specialized drone equipment, the sheriff asked the board to consider shifting the county’s ER&R (equipment replacement and repair) schedule and buying a fully outfitted replacement now so the department would not need a scheduled replacement next year. Staff presented two price estimates: a fully outfitted replacement priced at about $77,000 and alternative Ford/Chevy interceptor options that would raise costs into the mid‑$80,000s. Staff also explained that bringing some older reserve vehicles into service would require roughly $10,000–$15,000 per vehicle to meet current CJIS laptop and mounting requirements.
Board members asked about sharing cars with nearby agencies, logistics of upfitting, and lease‑end options. Staff and the sheriff said sharing vehicles is operationally difficult because deputies respond from home and carry individualized equipment, and that leasing versus purchasing choices have tradeoffs: leased vehicles can be rotated on a fixed schedule while purchased vehicles become county property at residual cost if retained.
The sheriff said he will meet with the county’s grant/ER&R administrator to review available funds and options. The department arranged towing and diagnostics; if Stellantis repurchases the Durango under lemon‑law procedures the county would be relieved of the lease, but staff warned the timing is uncertain. The board did not take a final public vote on the funding request at the meeting and requested a budget review before deciding.
Next steps: the Durango was scheduled for towing and manufacturer diagnostics, staff will return with ER&R budget numbers after consulting with the grant administrator, and the sheriff will report updates to the board when available.
