Kidd Ford of McMinnville will soon be supplying the Warren County Sheriff’s Department with four 2014 Ford Explorer AWD police vehicles for a cost of $104,077.
Kidd Ford was the low bidder on the vehicles and received the bid last week from members of the county’s Financial Management Committee.
Bids received for the Sheriff’s Department vehicles were:
• $26,019 – 2014 Ford Explorer AWD Police (K8A), Kidd Ford
• $26,334 – 2014 Ford Utility Police Interceptor AWD Base (K8A), Mid-Tenn Ford Truck Sales
• $26,584 – 2014 Ford Utility Police Interceptor AWD Base (K8A), Beaman Automotive Group
• $26,999 – 2014 Dodge Durango 4x2 Sport Utility Special Service, Sam Swope Auto Group, LLC
• $28,649 – 2014 Dodge Durango AWD Special Service, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Columbia
The Sheriff’s Department bought SUVs in the fall of 2011 but purchased four 2013 Ford Taurus sedan Police Interceptors at the end of 2012.
Commissioners wanting to save money on gasoline recommended staying with the Taurus when discussing which vehicles to purchase in 2013 during a county Budget and Finance Committee meeting.
Commissioner Herschel Wells said during the meeting, “They need to go back to fuel-efficient vehicles. They don’t need SUVs.”
Sheriff Jackie Matheny was hoping to be able to once again purchase SUVs when the time came for new vehicles for his department.
“The gas mileage for the car is about two more mpg,” said Matheny when contacted by the Standard. “I understand that is positive since gasoline is high, but the SUVs are much better for our needs. The cars are small and it is difficult to put all of our equipment in one. We also patrol mountains and fields. We have to go where the meth labs and marijuana fields are located. We still do what you could call country policing.
“The biggest thing that concerns me is being able to control going out in the fields where marijuana is being grown and being able to get to remote meth labs. The car is so low to the ground, it will not go through most remote fields. We really cannot be compared to the city police. Their roads are all paved. Most of our roads are paved but we don’t just travel on the road,” Matheny said.
Chief Deputy Tommy Myers said, “I’m glad we are getting SUVs. Those are what we need.”
Kidd Ford owner Terry Kidd said the vehicles will be built in Chicago and shipped to McMinnville. He said it would be difficult to note an exact delivery date.
“We might have them hopefully by the end of the year, but that time frame varies a little. We look forward to ordering them and delivering them to the county,” said Kidd.
The Sheriff’s Department may also make equipment modifications to the vehicles before driving them.