HUMBOLDT — The City of Humboldt has approved the purchase of a 2016 Dodge Charger as the new, fully equipped community safety officer (CSO) vehicle.
At its June 23 meeting, council approved the replacement of the 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe currently in service. The purchase will be funded from the fleet reserve, with $26,700 allocated for the replacement of the CSO vehicle.
Mike Kwasnica, director of protective services, said in his report, “The 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe currently used by the community safety officer program has exceeded 350,000 kilometres and is experiencing significant mechanical issues. Necessary repairs are extensive and costly, with no guarantee of long-term reliability.”
According to Kwasnica’s report, the newer 2016 Dodge Charger, already equipped with emergency lighting, a siren, radio equipment, decals and other CSO operational tools, has been identified as a suitable replacement. Kwasnica said that the vehicle has been offered to the City of Humboldt at an extremely low cost of $15,000 taxes included.
According to Kwansica’s report, the vehicle offers several advantages, including:
- Operational readiness: The Charger is fully outfitted for immediate deployment, eliminating the time and cost needed to retrofit a new vehicle.
- Cost-effectiveness: Buying a fully equipped used vehicle is significantly more economical than purchasing and outfitting a new one.
- Improved reliability: With fewer than 100,000 kilometres, the Charger offers more dependable and safer transportation than the outgoing Tahoe.
- Fuel efficiency: The Charger provides better fuel economy, resulting in ongoing operational savings.
- Modern features: The vehicle includes updated safety and operational technology compared to the older 2014 model.
Upon approval, the city will remove the emergency equipment from the Tahoe for potential reuse, and dispose of the stripped-down vehicle at market value.
