St. Peters Police Nearing Purchase of 8 New Cars

By the end of 2012 the could have eight new patrol cars roaming the streets. 

The Board of Aldermen will vote later this month to approve the purchase of eight new police cars following a presentation during Thursday's meeting. After not purchasing any cars in 2011 in an effort to save money, the St. Peters Police Department is looking to add some new cars to the fleet. Prior to last year's break, the police have been getting new cars regularly in an effort to keep the street vehicles fresh—the new vehicles will replace the older or broken-down cars.

Health and Environmental Services manager Dave Kuppler made the presentation Thursday requesting the Board approve a purchase for eight new cars. The replacement plans called for seven new cars, but the police needed another cruiser after a December accident totaled an officer's car.

Even with the addition of the extra car, Kuppler said the purchase order should still come in under budget. Insurance will pay for the damaged car, but the others are helped by lower prices. The new cars will cost $23,373 each. The last time the city purchased cars, each one cost $23,706.

The new cars will be a different model than the current cruisers. Ford is no longer making the Crown Victoria, instead making a vehicle called the Police Interceptor. Kuppler said the vehicle will look, and behave, like a souped-up Ford Taurus.

Kuppler said the new vehicle was chosen because it fits the department's needs. The Police Interceptors allow the officers to utilize trunk space to operate technological equipment. 

One issue with the new vehicle is, the department can't just do a simple swap out of cages with the old Crown Vic's. The new car will require new cages, which may push the purchase over budget.

Kuppler said that, once the cars are purchased, it would take time to get the cars painted and striped and street-ready. 

The cars will be replacing mostly 2008 model-year cars, but one 2006 car. The St. Peters Police current have 20 cars in the fleet. The cars will be purchased from Joe Machen's Ford in Columbia, MO, for the total cost of $186,984, pending Board approval. 

Other Notes

• Thursday's meeting technically never ended. The last item on the agenda was a "resolution calling upon the City Clerk to transmit to the St. Charles County Election Authority the legal notice to be published for the regular General Municipal Election to be held in the City of St. Peters, Missouri on April 3, 2012." The only problem is, until Jan. 17. The Board, in a bit of procedural trickery, tabled the item and motioned to take a recess until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. At the time, the filing period will be over and the City Clerk can certify the ballot. 
• The only two voting items passed with 8-0 votes. 
• A new program designed to benefit Meals on Wheels will be debuting this month. St. Peters residents will have the option of donating money on their bi-monthly utility bills. In the upper right-hand corner, residents can round up their bill, or donate any sum of money, to the program.