Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fort Recovery council hears police staffing update, debates cruiser options amid reliability concerns
Summary
The police chief reported staffing shortages and recent calls, and councilors questioned cruiser models after staff described an overheating problem with one vendor's vehicle; council asked staff to continue researching options and costs.
The Village of Fort Recovery heard a police-department update at its Aug. 5 meeting that highlighted staffing shortages and a short pursuit related to a recent theft, and prompted council discussion about which patrol vehicle model to purchase.
The police chief reported the squad treated several people at the St. Clair Run, that National Night Out had strong support from community volunteers including Neal Spencer, and noted the department is "still short a couple officers." The chief provided a packet with July statistics and two cruiser options, including pricing from State Wide to compare with a vendor named Bud's.
Councilors and staff discussed specific vehicle options. Council member Scott Pearson expressed reluctance about Hemi-powered Chargers and hybrids and asked if a Tahoe or Durango would be preferable; staff cautioned about the Tahoe’s turning radius and noted the V8 engines can be more proven with idle time. Staff member Laux said State Wide expects to fix the reported issue by October and described the problem as overheating that can "melt" components; councilors asked staff to continue exploring Durango, Tahoe and other configurations and to return with firm cost comparisons.
No formal procurement decision was made; Mayor Dave Kaup instructed staff to get the chief the options he prefers and to keep the council updated. The packet included July activity stats and cruiser price comparisons for further review.
