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Youngstown's new van for prisoners purchased with speed camera money
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The police department has purchased a new state-of-the-art van to transport prisoners with money raised by their speed cameras.
The van has divided seating for prisoners and a seat-belt system for all prisoners, as well as padding to avoid prisoners sliding. It will be used to transport prisoners from the Mahoning County jail to hearings in municipal court.
There is also a separate compartment for unruly prisoners, and the entire van is equipped with a video-camera system, allowing officers to see what is going on during transportation that also can be saved if it is needed.
The new van, a Ford that was purchased for about $52,000, will replace an old van that has been used since 2000 and has a deteriorating interior and body. The old van, also a Ford, will be saved and used if there are repairs needed on the new one that will put it out of service.
Chief Robin Lees said the van is the first addition to the department’s vehicle fleet with money raised from the cameras, which generate fines from citations from motorists caught speeding on Interstate 680 or the city’s school zones.
Lees said the department will purchase six new police cars that should be in service by the end of the year to replace front-line vehicles in the department’s patrol fleet.
Capt. Jason Simon, the department’s fiscal officer, said the van was ordered in March but it did not arrive until a few weeks ago. Some of the modifications to the camera system were done by the department’s maintenance personnel.
The van is sturdy and built for punishment.
“When loading prisoners into the van, it has to be pretty much indestructible,” Lees said.
Lees said the safety features are a big trend in law enforcement after allegations last year that Freddie Gray, a prisoner being transported by Baltimore police, was not restrained, given a rough ride and later died. Charges were filed, but the officers involved have either been acquitted or had the charges against them dismissed.
The city also has replaced two cars used by officers who are police dog handlers, and they have also purchased a 3-D mapping system that can be used at accidents and crime scenes.