New Guilford Police Vehicle Doesn't Have Any Safety Issues Or Concerns: UPDATE/CORRECTION

(Editor's Note: The original story about the police vehicle acquisition has been updated and corrected. We regret the error. Guilford Police Chief Jeff Hutchinson explained that the vehicle purchased is not the one that had been subject to safety issues in other departments.)

UPDATE/CORRECTION

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD, CT – Guilford Police Chief Jeff Hutchinson said Friday that the 2017 Ford Explorer the police department is purchasing is a “civilian model” and that model has not been subject to the safety issues that other police Explorers in other departments have had.

An earlier story in Guilford Patch about the police department’s purchase of the Explorer raised some concerns. The story should have said that the vehicle purchased was not the same model as the one that are expected of carbon monoxide leakage from Explorer’s exhaust systems.

The chief said: “We are purchasing a civilian model, which is not a subject of the reported concerns as has been clearly indicated by Ford.

“The safety of our officers has always been and will continue to be of utmost importance,” Hutchinson said.

Original story, which has been updated

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD, CT – The police department recently got the go-ahead from the Board of Selectmen to purchase a 2017 Ford Explorer police vehicle . The selectmen approved the $23,896 purchase after Police Chief Jeff Hutchinson explained that Guilford police have not had problems with Explorers.

Additionally, the chief told the selectmen, Ford has offered to inspect all police vehicles and if they any issues will correct them. He said the Guilford Explorers are scheduled for inspections and the department is working with Public Works and Ford to ensure there are no safety issues.

After hearing the chief’s report, the selectmen voted unanimously to purchase the vehicle.