MARLBORO — New vehicles will be added to the Marlboro Police Department’s fleet with funds that are already in place.
During the June 3 meeting of the Marlboro Township Council, the governing body unanimously passed resolutions authorizing the acquisition of seven new vehicles for the police department through state contract purchases.
The first resolution was for two new 2010 Chevrolet Impala cars for a total not to exceed $32,944.
The second resolution was for five 2010 Ford Crown Victoria cars, in an amount not to exceed $121,620.
When asked by the council members where the funding for the new vehicles was coming from, Marlboro Police Chief Bruce E. Hall said that the money was coming from a Monmouth County Improvement Authority (MCIA) fund to which the township committed in 2007 for the purpose of replacing police vehicles.
Business Administrator Jonathan Capp said the money from the MCIA fund cannot be used for any purpose other than to purchase new vehicles.
Hall said the Impalas would be used primarily by members of the police department’s investigative unit, while the Crown Victorias will take to the streets for patrol duties. The chief said those cars are not likely to be ready for the department’s use until the fall.
He said the police department recently lost two patrol cars as a result of motor vehicle accidents and no longer has any vehicles left in reserve. He explained to the council that when a patrol car reaches 100,000 miles, it is no longer used on a daily basis, but is put onto a rotation schedule so that it can continue to be used.
— Rebecca Morton