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REPLACEMENT OF TWO SQUADS By: David Gustafson, Police Sergeant CASE Background: In March 1993, funds were allocated for the replacement of police vehicles S-3 and S-4. Those replacements have been received and are now being outfitted. We expect one to be placed into service the first week in June, the other by approximately June 11, 1993. Squads S-1 and S-2, our two other patrol cars, have mileage of 72,000 and 88,000, respectively. While these cars would very likely last until replacements arrived sometime in 1994, both would then have well over 100,000 miles. It is estimated that by June 1994, S- I will be at 110,000 and S-2 will have 125,000 miles. [Note: See the attached vehicle report]. Our department maintenance records consistently show that the greatest expenditures in a dollars to miles ratio, occur during the 85,000 to 100,000 mile+ range. This is inherent because of the safety factor that must be addressed with emergency vehicles. We have found that significant expenditures of several hundred dollars to upgrade the suspension system are necessary during that final 15,000 miles. The final replacement of brakes often requires that the rotors be replaced, which costs an additional several hundred dollars per ear. These expenditures are cost-effective on a car with lesser mileage but cannot be recovered in a ear that is auctioned off so soon after the work is done. In April 1993, Chief Auspos received notice fi'om Bill Smart at Superior Ford that they had several additional squads in their inventory. They are 1993 models which are offered at the basic State Contract price. Since that rime I have spoken with Smart, who advised that thc industry expects a 1994 price increase of as much as two thousand dollars or more. Bill believes this because the requirement for the air bag has already been mandated by federal law. This price has been established at five hundred dollars. Additionally, he expects a ten percent basic price increase, which in the past has followed any two-year period when the basic price was unchanged. 1992 and 1993 prices were the same. The Council, in early 1993, authorized the funds to purchase three mobile digital terminals. These, along with one supplied by Anoka County, will allow one for each patrol car. These MDT units are expected to arrive in July or August 1993. Provisions are being made for that as we outfit the two new squads we have. While the MDT units themselves will not be installed now, the design change for mounting our equipment will make for their easy installation once they arrive. The cost of installing an MDT unit in an older car is $180 to $200. This style of mounting, however, will not be allowed in any cars purchased after 1993, thus this expense would be for the last few months of our two older squads period of service, only to be repeated again in 1994. To outfit our two older squads with the redesigned mounting system that would meet 1994 requirements for all equipment would cost several hundred dollars more, only to be reinstalled in 1994. To take no action would mean having two MDT units on hand, but not in use. Superior Ford has three new 1993 squads on hand that are equipped and priced very close to the ones we have. They are priced at $12,936, $12,982 and $12,998. The City paid $12,826 for each of the two we have. Superior Ford advised that the cars are being sold at random, and would not put a "hold" on any cars without a reasonable deposit. Bill Smart informed me that of the sixty extra cars he received early in May, he has twenty left.