MONROE - County supervisors have approved the purchase of five 2013 Chevy Impala squad cars for the Green County Sheriff's Department.
The Impalas cost $20,956 each and are being purchased through a state-sourced dealer in Oconomowoc. The state is able to offer the county the best deal on the cars through a bulk-buying program, and local dealerships can't compete, according to Sheriff Jeff Skatrud.
"It's not their fault. They can't get the price break," he said.
On roads three shifts daily, the squads rack up miles quickly. The sheriff's department typically retires the vehicles after 15 months or at about 105,000 to 110,000 miles. At that point, Skatrud said, his department is able to sell them for about $7,000 each.
The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee approved the car purchases at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
At the meeting, Skatrud also reported to the committee that jail bookings were down in February to the lowest they've been in years. Thirty-six people were booked into the jail in February, compared to 68 in January.
"So people behaved better in February," he said. Jail population was also "way down" in February, at 44 inmates for the daily average versus 51 in January.
- Katjusa Cisar
The Impalas cost $20,956 each and are being purchased through a state-sourced dealer in Oconomowoc. The state is able to offer the county the best deal on the cars through a bulk-buying program, and local dealerships can't compete, according to Sheriff Jeff Skatrud.
"It's not their fault. They can't get the price break," he said.
On roads three shifts daily, the squads rack up miles quickly. The sheriff's department typically retires the vehicles after 15 months or at about 105,000 to 110,000 miles. At that point, Skatrud said, his department is able to sell them for about $7,000 each.
The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee approved the car purchases at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
At the meeting, Skatrud also reported to the committee that jail bookings were down in February to the lowest they've been in years. Thirty-six people were booked into the jail in February, compared to 68 in January.
"So people behaved better in February," he said. Jail population was also "way down" in February, at 44 inmates for the daily average versus 51 in January.
- Katjusa Cisar