Village plans to save money by leasing police squad cars

A proposed vehicle-lease agreement between the Grafton Police Department and Enterprise Rent-A-Car could save the village about $40,000 next year and $23,000 annually after that.

If the agreement is approved, the department will receive four new vehicles next year at a cost of $75,000. Officials previously planned to buy three squad cars in 2021 at a cost of $130,000.     

The Village Finance Committee on Monday recommended the Village Board approve the agreement at its Nov. 16 meeting. 

The department replaces its vehicles on a rotating schedule, which typically costs $265,000 every three years, not including police equipment.

Police Chief Jeff Caponera proposed the lease agreement based on his prior experience with City of Anna, Texas. 

The monthly lease per vehicle includes $17,000 in equipment and a yearly vehicle maintenance plan. The maintenance plan doesn’t include repairing vehicles that are damaged in accidents, which would be covered by the village’s insurance. 

The department has 10 vehicles. Enterprise estimates the cost of leasing 10 vehicles after 2025 would be $80,994 per year. 

Due to current market conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, the four vehicles would arrive between August and September. Caponera said the model of the vehicles will likely be Ford Police Interceptors.

Some of the savings could go to the Grafton Fire Department, which could help pay for wage increases for Fire Chief Bill Rice and Division Chief Matthew Karpinski.

Rice is seeking raises totaling approximately $9,700 for himself and Karpinski. Rice said their current salaries are below the average of other area department chiefs. 

The village will also receive proceeds after the leased vehicles are sold. 

The average age of the department’s vehicles is three years, but some are five to six years old.