The Laurel Police Department will soon have a baker’s dozen of new vehicles to do donuts in when they turn around to chase speeders and criminals.
The City Council approved the purchase of nine 2023 Dodge Chargers and four 2023 Dodge Ram pickups from dealerships in North Mississippi at a total cost of $447,164.
All of the vehicles were in the budget for this fiscal year, council President Tony Thaxton said, so the money didn’t come from the general fund.
“Thank God we’re able to do this for our police department,” Councilman George Carmichael said. “They leave their families behind every day and put their lives on the line for us. We’re happy to support our public safety officials.”
Councilman Jason Capers noted that city officials would have liked to purchase the vehicles locally, “but the law requires that we purchase them on state contract.”
Twelve of the vehicles were purchased from Landers Dodge in Southaven at a cost of $411,966 and one crew-cab pickup was purchased for the LPD’s Traffic Maintenance Division from Kirk Auto World in Grenada at a cost of $35,198.
The council also approved travel for LPD Lt. Mark Evans and Investigator Brad Anderson to attend Homicide Investigation & Crime Scene Management Training in Batesville at a cost of $2,460.94 and LPD officers Tammy Myers and Dalton Gieger to go to the Field Training Officers Course in Indianola at a cost of $2,036.06. Training Officers David Grasha and William Sparrow were OK’d to attend the Armorer’s Course in Pearl River, La., at a cost of $500.
The Laurel Fire Department received an anonymous donation of $10,000 to purchase a washer and dryer that will handle turnout gear to be placed at the LFD Training Center. The LFD also received a check for $6,087.50 that were proceeds from sales by Tyler Scott of Police Calendar Sheriff Calendar Fire Calendar in Meadville. Those funds can be used “in areas that they deem appropriate.”
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