New Middletown to get 2 new police cars

By MARY GRZEBIENIAK

news@vindy.com

NEW MIDDLETOWN

The village will get two new police cars courtesy of the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services.

The state awarded the village $52,350 to buy two 2010 Ford Crown Victorias at $26,775 apiece. The village will raise the money to pay the approximate $1,200 not covered by the grant by selling a 2004 Chevolet Impala with 92,000 miles and a 2005 Crown Victoria with 120,000.

The purchase will be made through the state purchasing system, and the cars should be delivered by summer. The department has two other vehicles, a 2007 Crown Victoria and a 2003 Ford Explorer.

Councilman Dan Santangelo suggested when council met Monday that one of the cars should be a four-wheel-drive vehicle, noting that police cars have been pulled out of ditches by residents in bad weather.

Councilman Richard DeBucci, who presided at the meeting in the absence of Mayor Harry Kale, pointed out, however, that the safety committee made the decision to buy two-wheel-drive vehicles in consultation with the Police Chief Vince D’Egidio.

Fiscal Officer Carl Flitcraft Jr. said that four-wheel-drive vehicles are not designed for high-speed pursuit and would not be covered if they wrecked in such a chase.

Councilman Dan Stanton said he opposed asking residents to pay some $4,000 extra that a four-wheel-drive vehicle would cost. In the end, council voted unanimously to buy the two-wheel-drive vehicles.

D’Egidio announced the village also has received a $6,284 grant from OCJS to purchase five radios and two Tasers as well as pay for 142 hours of police patrol time.