Baltimore City Police receiving Chevy Caprice police cars at a cost of $2 million+!!!

[KSweeley]

I thought the city is in a budget deficit, how can the police afford Chevy Caprices at a cost of $2 million+

Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...,5570601.story

2:59 PM EST, November 9, 2012

Baltimore officials began delivering 80 new police cruisers to the Northeast District Friday morning.

The Chevy Caprice PPV police cruisers, purchased for more than $2 million, will be equipped with mobile data terminals, which will allow officers to electronically create and submit police reports from their patrol vehicles. The cruisers are also equipped with sophisticated mapping software to better track stolen vehicles, city officials said.

"These new vehicles will allow our officers to spend more time in our communities, and continue to make Baltimore a safer city," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement.

[local]

Cars don't run forever. And police departments almost always buy cars with special law enforcement packages.

But as for the "mobile data terminals," they probably paid way more than it would have cost for 80 iPads, which would probably do the job better and faster.

[Daan]

.

Baltimore City can afford $2 million for police cars. It's reported that the City collected $4 million more than expected from its speed camera tickets.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...rtable-cameras

.

[demopublican]

Not replacing cars would have costs as well.

How many cars are crashed every year? How many break down?

What a stupid thread.

[octoburn]

They do need cars and there comes a point when repairing isn't cost~effective. We are not looking at routine car use either.

It sounds like a smart investment.

[Eastside Terp]

They do need cars and there comes a point when repairing isn't cost~effective. We are not looking at routine car use either.

agreed ......

It sounds like a smart investment.

this is the city we are are talking about, I wouldn't quite go that far .......

hopefully they didn't use the negotiator that bought the phone system or the state dude that bought the slots .......

[demopublican]

I think it was an open bid through citybuy.

[Lawman 27]

Not replacing cars would have costs as well.

How many cars are crashed every year? How many break down?

What a stupid thread.

I wouldn't say it is a stupid thread. It would be nice to know just where the money is going on each car. (I don't expect the City to be forthcoming when it comes to telling us where the money is actually going though).

It would also be nice to know if the Patrol units (the ones who actually need the cars) will get to see them. (In one district, the Admin LT put a 'club' on his new Police car to keep Patrol units from using it when he was off).

Baltimore City can afford $2 million for police cars. It's reported that the City collected $4 million more than expected from its speed camera tickets..

True, but why does the City have to spend money as quick as they get it?

[octoburn]

agreed ......



this is the city we are are talking about, I wouldn't quite go that far .......

hopefully they didn't use the negotiator that bought the phone system or the state dude that bought the slots .......

I agree. In terms of things the city needs, that phone system would seem to be very low on the list of priorities to me.

[Mr. Smartypants]

Why is such an ordinary function of government such a big media event? You'd think we were trading in horses and getting some new fangled invention.

[The Eternal White Belt]

The new wave of police cars are supposedly a huge leap forwards performance-wise and technologically. On Top Gear America they compared the Carprice, the Charger and the Ford one (Interceptor?) - I think the Carice or the Ford came out on top. They are bad-*** cars.

[Saticon3]

.

But as for the "mobile data terminals," they probably paid way more than it would have cost for 80 iPads, which would probably do the job better and faster.

I'm not sure about that. The MDT's have many special needs and features an i pad wouldn't--- to think of off the top of me head, secure data transfer for one, capability to do things like hook up with crime and other government data bases- like they can run their own wanted, criminal history, various other checks right from the car without bothering or waiting for a dispatcher to do so. They have to be very rugged and durable as well. You ever seen a "toughbook"?

[Eastside Terp]

mdts are probably panasonic toughbooks .........

[The Eternal White Belt]

They generally use Panasonic Toughbooks. That may be changing though.

Edit: good timing

[Saticon3]

My agency uses Motorolas, don't know what Baltimore chose though.

[atomic]

I thought the city is in a budget deficit, how can the police afford Chevy Caprices at a cost of $2 million+

Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...,5570601.story

80 cars at 2 million = 25000 a piece. Do you expect to never buy new police cars? I don't understand your concern.

I see state policemen riding on Harleys and BMW's motorcycles. To me that seems to be a big waste. Especially Harleys. Who are they going to catch on one of them?

[lane17]

I can't believe people are complaining about 2 million dollars worth of police cars. Wait until they need 2 or 3 fire trucks. The city's not broke. They just need to better manage the money they have.

[bmore_ken]

I thought the city is in a budget deficit, how can the police afford Chevy Caprices at a cost of $2 million+

Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...,5570601.story

Have you seen a BCPD car lately? They need new cars

[demopublican]

Drive down to Biddle Street and take a look at how many wrecked and damaged police cars there are on any given day.

[jtowne-swim]

THink about it.......at that price we are talking about 25 K a car?????? Is that really over priced considering all the special Police stuff it will have?