campbell Police to buy 2 cars with seized money

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

campbell

Campbell is buying two new police cruisers with confiscated drug money.

That is an uncommon accomplishment, said city Law Director Brian Macala.

“We’re the only city taking seized money to buy new vehicles,” Macala said at a city council meeting earlier this month.

“It’s a good cooperation and a credit to the police officers out there — hitting them in the pocketbook, where it counts,” he said.

At the council meeting June 6, council advanced to a third reading an ordinance that will allow the city finance director to enter into a $62,720 purchase agreement for the two cruisers.

The city will work through the state’s Department of Administrative Services Cooperative Purchasing Program.

“They’ve already bid out the packages and had the prices pre-set,” explained finance director Mike Evanson.

He said he’ll fill out the paperwork for the manufacturer, who will let the city know when the two Dodge Chargers are coming.

He said that of each cruiser’s $31,600 cost, $8,500 is for lights, radios and sirens.

The money will come out of the city’s law- enforcement trust funds.

The council is pushing the legislation through before it goes on summer recess for two months.

The last meeting before summer recess is Wednesday.