North Branford Police Get New Rides After All

The strived to no avail for the replacement of some of their high-mileage patrol cars that they've labled "unreliable" when the . The rejected petition was on the basis that the town does not have the money for that kind of expenditure in the current economic climate. 

But the department was determined, presenting the council with an at the Oct. 18 meeting: a lease program regulated by Ford Motor Credit. The lease allows the police department to lease out a certain number of vehicles for a set amount of time. The council voted to allow the department to lease four crown victorias for four years.

The total price tag will amount to $31,811 per year. This includes the installation of police equipment salvaged from the four high-milage, "unreliable" vehicles they will be replacing. 

Town Manager Richard Branigan will research other options to compare to the offer Ford Motor Credit provides. The lease provides the same warranty that a purchase would entail. 

Due to the retirement of a sergeant and an officer in training, Police Chief Matthew Canelli says these vacancies have created a surplus that will fund the lease. The surplus comes out to a total of $32,349.76, which would cover the first year's payment for the vehicles.

"We'll jump through all the hoops that you need us to if the money's available," said Canelli. The chief went on to apologize for the department's use of the word "unsafe" when describing the vehicles at the Sept. 22 meeting, which led to the council's discussion of the . "They're unreliable," he corrected.

The council agreed to cover the cost of the four vehicles for the remaining three years of the four-year contract.