Castle Hills CCPD approves $39,022 amendment to buy replacement patrol vehicle

The Castle Hills Crime Control Prevention District board unanimously approved a $39,022 budget amendment and authorized staff to purchase and outfit a replacement patrol vehicle after a patrol unit was totaled in an accident, staff said at the board’s June 18 meeting.

Interim Police Chief Davala told the board the totaled unit must be replaced and that staff followed city purchasing policy to solicit bids. “There was a car accident that totaled one of our patrol units and it's necessary to replace that,” Chief Davala said. He said the department plans to use a Ford Mustang as the traffic vehicle instead of the previously used Explorer.

Board members discussed the correct budget line to use — staff acknowledged an earlier reference to line 8106 was an error and recommended moving the funds to line 8108 to cover the purchase and outfitting. Staff reported the low turnkey bid for the vehicle and outfitting totaled $39,022; the outfitting includes lighting, striping and other equipment.

Board members also asked whether insurance proceeds from the totaled vehicle would offset the cost; staff said insurance payments would come into CCPD as revenue and would partially offset expenses but did not say the exact amount available at the meeting.

The board voted to (a) amend the CCPD budget to move $39,022 to the patrol-vehicle line and (b) authorize staff to purchase and outfit the replacement vehicle in accordance with city purchasing policies. Both motions passed unanimously.