Before you speed or commit a crime, be careful even if you don’t see any sheriff’s cars around – you might be under supervision from one of the four undercover cars that are part of a batch of new cars the department is hoping to purchase.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners will decide the matter at the board’s Thursday, Feb. 23 meeting.
These vehicles are being bought “to replace aging vehicles with high mileage and vehicles damaged in accidents in the Sheriff’s Office fleet.”
The money for the purpose was put in the county’s 2022-2023 budget, however, the price of cars has turned out to be higher than expected in this year, so the money won’t go as far as the department hoped.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department is asking the board to approve the four undercover vehicles along with nine pursuit-ready Dodge Chargers with all-wheel-drive, one Chrysler 300 and two Chevrolet Tahoes.
The undercover vehicles are going to be used cars that will be purchased from local dealerships. Those four are expected to cost $160,000 in total. If you’re a criminal who would like to learn what undercover cars the department will be using, you can make a public records request after the department buys the cars and they will have to tell you exactly what cars they bought. That way you could be on the lookout for those vehicles. On the other hand, after this article is published, making that public records request will probably put you on the Sheriff’s Department radar.
The nine Dodge Chargers and the Chrysler 300, which will cost a total of just under $395,000, will be purchased from a dealership in Clinton, North Carolina. The purchase will be made in accordance with prices that have been negotiated as part of a state contract for cars. The prices are better than those found on the open market because of the mass number of cars the state and other participating governments purchase on the same contract.
The two Chevrolet Tahoes will be bought from Modern Chevrolet in Winston-Salem, for an estimated $105,000, under a NC Sheriff’s Association contract.
According to information from the Sheriff’s Department Tahoes are in “very high demand” right now, so the Tahoes have to be purchased through a vendor allocation method – which means the exact price won’t be known until then.
This isn’t the first mass Sheriff’s Department vehicle purchase in the current fiscal year. The county funded just over $2 million in the budget to replace 50 pursuit-approved vehicles, and, in August of last year, the board approved a purchase of 27 new Dodge Chargers for $1,295,468. That price tag included the cost of upfitting those vehicles with law enforcement lights and gear.
According to information the department provided the commissioners, “The costs for those vehicles were higher than expected, reducing the number of vehicles Law Enforcement expected to purchase in [fiscal year 2022-2023] from 50 vehicles to 43 vehicles. This purchase will utilize the remaining budgeted funds of $730,532 and result in a total of 43 vehicles purchased.”
Don’t tell me our govt doesn’t have enough money to buy a few cars for an understaffed Sheriff’s dept. They have enough cash to compete with UBER.
Support your local Sheriff!
What a novel idea. Finding vehicles that fit the job from local dealerships.
Please forward this article to Queen Nancy and her minions. Our police department has a very great need for vehicles to take home but they continue to be denied by Council.
So the Sheriff is getting 9 Chargers and ONE Chrysler 300 (the same car, but much fancier)? I guess that one’s for Danny.
And you don’t have to be a criminal to want to know about their undercover cars, Scott. You just have to be someone like me. I have been driving 30,000 miles/year for nearly 40 years and have never had a single accident. And I am a chronic speeder – big time. I generally exceed the posted speed limit by 20mph or more, if it’s safe.
The speed limits in our dear state are WAYYY TOO LOW.
Some of us can drive swiftly and safely (although I admit there are lots of people who can’t).
So I’d like to know if I’m being watched by the law.
The speed limits are too low. I’m aware of that when I’m passed by GPD cars and I’m going about 5mph over the speed limit on divided four-lane roads around the city. The fact that there are multiple four-land divided roads all over the city that have speed limits of 35mph drives me nuts, even the ones that are 45mph sometimes don’t need to be that low. The point of taking people’s yards and privacy away from them to widen the roads was so traffic could flow faster so the speed should be raised. We have places to go and things to do. Almost everyone goes over the limit on those roads until you get that one person that jams up the works.
Then there are the lovely two lanes on a side that just after an intersection narrow to one lane. What is the city thinking? They do their best to encourage people to drag race. But that’s another topic. Anyway, I understand the need for heavy cars with all the equipment they have in them and the electrical load on the battery and such, and they also provide more protection when it’s needed. I’m glad they’re replacing them with comfortable cars for officers who have to sit in them for hours every day.
Be safe out there.
You’re absolutely right, California Girl! The Left is waging an undeclared war on the private automobile, as they make driving as inconvenient, aggravating, costly, and time consuming as they can.
In the 1980’s the Speed Limit on Cone Boulevard was 55mph. Then it was cut to 45mph. Then it was cut again, to 35mph. So now everyone – but everyone – is a “speeder”. Safety has absolutely nothing to do with it (despite the incessant lies). Now the state can choose to pull over anyone, arbitrarily, for “speeding”, and the road has become a lucrative revenue stream. It’s a win-win for government, and a lose-lose for us, the people.
“Some of us can drive swiftly and safely (although I admit there are lots of people who can’t).”
That’s why they don’t increase the speed limits. . . .that’s a no-brainer.
So you want us to be ruled by the lowest common denominator? Then they’ll impose ubiquitous 20mph speed limits soon, as they have done in parts of the UK.
You are not being watched by the law. It is near anarchy now.
Really, Miller? They are already planning on introducing speed trap cameras in school zones (which will inevitably be extended city-wide after some spurious report they’ll pay for), and ALPRs will be next (Automatic Licence Plate Readers).
They’re trying to make us into serfs, monitored and regulated everywhere we go.
I prefer freedom.
Hope Danny doesnt leave his key fob in his new ride and the door unlocked or it will be stolen again. Surprised Skip and the Dems didnt demand they get Electric vehicles, because they are so cost effective, and so much better for our Climate – Hogwash!!!
See there, GSOman,. It’s not that hard to buy a police car through nontraditional methods. Maybe city council could rise to the level of ingenuity that their better, Danny Rogers, has displayed. But they probably won’t, which is very sad considering how low that bar is set.
Glad you’re still here Don. I didn’t see that any of the Toyota cars you mentioned were purchased I think there is a Toyota dealership in Greensboro with a lot full of cars. Some ideas are dumb and then some are just plain stupid.
Yes, let’s just do without because our standards are too high. Like a guy starving to death with a jar of peanut butter in his hand because he’s too good for peasant food. You so dumb, but that looks to be the GPD standard nowadays too. I know your imagination is limited, but don’t get fixated on one example. It obviously does not have to be a Toyota dude, but at some point, anything with four wheels and an engine will do to get the ball rolling on take home cars.
I think those GPD vacancies are at about 130 and climbing almost every day. Word is that 12 or 13 rookies will graduate soon, but 3 to 5 of those are already headed elsewhere after getting trained on GPD’s dime. Why? Cars, benefits, and money!
So Don let me get this straight you’re willing to spend a lot of taxpayer dollars for cars that really aren’t capable of performing as police cars, that in a year or so will be worthless to the force just to have take home cars for GPD. That sounds like a great Dumbocrat idea. Good way to waste more money. I really like your ! point. Glad to keep your blood pressure up.
Not at all. The only thing bothering me is how dumb you are.
There will obviously be standards in place prior to purchase dude, but they cannot hold to the mantra of “we only buy Interceptors”. Plus, an individually assigned car is proven to suffer less wear and tear than a carpool car. The officer will consider that car “theirs” and the agency will do the same. There is more accountability and more personal investment in a personally assigned car, as you know from having your own. GPD only buys about 3 kinds of cars, and only 1 specific car for Patrol Officers. Much like you, that type of thinking is far too narrowminded in a time when that specific car is largely unavailable. They need to broaden their parameters.
The officers certainly don’t have to be put into a Pinto, but the agency can’t just hold to the stance that they are going to wait for Ford to finally get around to pumping out some “police” cars for them. Otherwise, GPD in fact becomes the guy who starves to death because he doesn’t like the food that is available. In fact, they’re looking pretty thin already last time I checked.
Don Burlington PD only has 145 officers with 44 vacant positions so in comparison Greensboro has over 350 positions with 100 vacant positions. So percentage wise it’s about the same. Your argument doesn’t fly.
Don Don Don shame shame shame
Burlington is almost full. The WFMY article had old statistics. They are full from poaching officers from other agencies, many from GPD. Continue to live in your1980s mindset while you enjoy your retirement. 3 leaving the current academy upon graduation.
Only patrol needs a “patrol” type vehicle. The desk jockeys can drive whatever like a cheap Impala or whatever crap chevrolet puts out.
Also I appreciated how the lieutenant in the WFMY post acted like money shouldn’t be a deciding factor in choosing a job or agency. $11,000 more in starting pay at Burlington. Compound that over a few years. He forgot to mention 30 days wellness days plus the regular vacation. Their package makes Greensboro look insulting. Yes, people like money. I’ve said before if you were in another industry like banking you would take the money, vacation, and car. But he thinks a lateral move within GPD should make all the difference.
Your info is way out of date bro. Greensboro has 680+ positions and at least 130 vacancies. They haven’t had 350 spots for decades. How ancient are you? Burlington HAD 44 vacancies but they are close to ZERO now. Call them and ask if you don’t believe me. Your numbers are weak, your data old and inaccurate. You have also done nothing but nag. All you do is complain, and that’s what’s shameful. How about offering solutions?
Thank all you good people for all the info on take home vehicles. The take home car is considered a taxable perk by the IRS. We are currently looking at all the departments in the state for anyone not filling this on their tax returns. Thanks again.
Take home cars have been around for decades, genius. If they don’t know about them by now, they’ve got bigger problems.
Eastside city council and Tammy Thurm are who & what are tying the hands of the police department. There is nothing wrong with officers having take home vehicles. Council would rather give 900k (+) to a non- proven , non- responsible group such as cure for violence and other fellow past and present council members instead of providing the police department with required employees, equipment and support. Being a sworn law enforcement officer is a 24/7 job not only when on duty.
I think the Greensboro firefighters should ask for take home cars. Their job is just as stressful and taxing as the PD
Nice one! Nobody wants to kill the fireman. Nobody protests the fireman. Nobody spits on the fireman or calls him a racist for doing his job. Nobody questions every single decision a fireman makes. Cops don’t get to have full kitchens, ping pong tables, cots to sleep in, and rec rooms to play in while they are on duty. Firefighting definitely has its stresses but not nearly the same as the cops. There is no job on this earth that gets more daily scrutiny than that of a police officer. Not the same. Not even remotely.
(And fire commanders do have take home cars. Firefighters do not because they roll around in a $300,000+ truck.)
Don Maybe teachers should get take home cars they face all the came hazards and threats you mentioned as well as daily stress
Officer Don makes some good points (and I’m no cop lover!).
If firefighters are also to get cars courtesy of the taxpayer, why not EMTs? Or local government VIPs? Before you know it the rapacious Parasitic Sector will be provided free cars passim, and the Productive Sector people will suffer under an ever higher tax burden.
The grossly obese Parasitic Sector needs to be put on a diet, not given more candy.