In honour of its 110th anniversary, the Estevan Police Service (EPS) has revealed a new car in its fleet, in which members will ride in style. Members of the EPS and Estevan Board of Police Commissioners unveiled a new police cruiser to be used as a school resource vehicle. The vehicle was introduced at the parking lot of Affinity Place, last Thursday.
Estevan Police chief Paul Ladouceur extended the gratitude of the EPS to several local businesses which helped fund the purchase and outfitting of the vehicle, including the screening of graphics for the car, the tinting of the vehicle’s windows, cosmetic paint touchups and the installation of lights.
“This is a good show of community support,” said Ladouceur. He noted there were several drafts for the final design of the vehicle’s graphics, and there were several revisions before a design was selected. He said the purchase of the car cost the City of Estevan, and by extension local taxpayers, nothing. The vehicle will be leased for the next few months, and is a replacement for an older school resource vehicle.
“That’s something we want to get out there, right away. People see something like this and they say, ‘Where are my tax dollars going?’ They’re going toward policing, and not going toward the cost of another car, because essentially, the cost of this car is $100 a month, for operational purposes,” said Ladouceur. “I don’t think we’d be able to get a bicycle at $100 a month, so kudos to the businesses that came together.”
Ladoucer said the vehicle had gotten a great deal of local attention, noting that people around the city had already been complimenting the EPS on the vehicle.
“People were rolling down their windows, and saying, ‘Where did you get that? That’s awesome.’ We’re driving by and people are turning their heads, left, right and centre, and that’s what we want,” said Ladouceur. “Especially when it comes to youth. When this car pulls up to schools, it’s an instant conversation piece.
“It’s a great way to communicate with the public, youth in the community, and to celebrate 110 years of policing in the community.”
