The Auburn Police Department currently utilizes a 2008 Ford Police Interceptor (Crown Victoria) as a retrofitted evidence technician vehicle that is utilized by our specially trained evidence technicians.  This vehicle responds to major scenes requiring in-depth collection, documentation, and processing of evidence on scene in order to give us the best chance of solving a crime from the on-set of the investigation. In order to do this, we must arrive on a scene with the proper equipment and materials to conduct the most thorough investigation possible.

Our current vehicle is a repurposed patrol unit that has outlived its useful life and is in need of many expensive repairs to include, a new exhaust, power steering leakage, new tires, A/C malfunction, trunk leaks, body rust, as well as the battery system does not maintain a charge.

The Police Department is requesting to purchase a more suitable vehicle to meet the needs of our evidence technicians.  The ideal vehicle can be retrofitted to not only carry all the specialized equipment these types of scenes require including lighting, generators, evidence collection equipment, fingerprint equipment, photographic equipment, blood collection supplies, evidence packaging, casting and impression equipment, biohazard kits, and miscellaneous supplies such as measuring devices, labels, paper, pens or pencils, screwdrivers, pocket knives, other cutting tools, flashlights, and batteries, but also a vehicle that has enough room to properly package and store the collected materials all of which is difficult to do with our current solution.

 Ideally, the Auburn Police Department would like to purchase a Ford Transit van that can be specifically retrofitted for our specific needs and purpose and is large enough to carry all our necessary equipment to act as both a mobile office and lab when needed.

The Superintendent manages the Department of Public Works (DPW).  In addition to coordinating operations and administrative functions and administrative staff, the Superintendent oversees personnel and budgetary issues and is responsible for providing oversight to the following operational units: Recreation, Senior Programs, Public Works Garage, Street Department, Building Maintenance, Traffic Signals and Street Lighting, Parks Department,  Casey Park, Falcon Park,  Cemetery Maintenance, Urban Forestry, Parking Garage Maintenance, Refuse and Recycling Collection and Refuse Disposal.

As a result of the various functions of the DPW and the involvement of the entire geographic area of the city on a daily basis, the Superintendent needs a reliable and efficient vehicle to monitor departmental functions to assure service delivery to our residents.  Currently, the Superintendent drives a 2003 Ford Expedition which has become unreliable and too inefficient to continue operating.

The Fire Truck Repair and Replacement capital account has approximately $37,800 in left over funds after the purchase and repair of the vehicles designated for this account due to higher than expected sale prices on the vehicles which were replaced. The account was originally funded by a $319,000 bond, a $639,000 transfer from general fund and $189,000 in sale proceeds from sold vehicles. Since we have fully spent the bond there are no restrictions on the remaining proceeds.

There is no budget impact of this request, we are repurposing old capital funds and budget items expected to go unused this fiscal year.