The Jefferson College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Dec. 12 to buy two used vehicles for the college Police Department. It’s the start of a plan to replace all five of the department’s vehicles.
The college will purchase two 2021 Dodge Chargers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol for a total of $44,900. The price for each Charger is $22,000, with the additional $900 for an optional equipment package for one of the vehicles.
Staff reported that since the expenditure is a “government-to-government purchase,” the college did not need to go to a public bid.
John Linhorst, the college’s vice president of finance and administration, said all the department’s five vehicles were damaged in a May 8 hailstorm. While the vehicles remain drivable and officers continue to use them, insurance declared them total losses.
“There were no mechanical failures,” he said. “(Insurance) declared them to be too costly to repair. These are the first two to be replaced, but all will need to be replaced.”
Linhorst said the department was to take possession of the first of the Chargers the week of Dec. 16 and the second in early January. The rest will be replaced later.
“Right now, we’re reviewing the costs from a variety of sources for replacement vehicles to ensure that the best vehicles are secured as replacements,” Linhorst said.