What’s the point of a new home without a new car? That’s the mindset of the City as it has just announced the unveiling of 61 marked and unmarked 2016 All-Wheel Drive Dodge Charger police pursuit-rated vehicles. The announcement was made in front of the future home for the Buffalo Police and Fire Headquarters – the Michael J. Dillon U.S. Courthouse. Mayor Byron W. Brown was joined by Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda to show off a few of the new cars, which are now patrolling city streets as of this morning.
“Public safety continues to be a priority in Buffalo and the new Dodge Chargers are just another way we are improving safety in our neighborhoods, while equipping our police officers with the latest equipment and technology needed to perform,” said Mayor Brown. “I’m confident that by continuing to build a mixed police fleet in Buffalo, we will make our City even stronger, and safer.”
The new marked Dodge Chargers cost about $1.6 million, $616,150 for the unmarked sedans. Funding came from the City General Fund Capital Outlay Budget and several FEMA grants.
The City purchased the new fleet of cars after it was determined that the current vehicle stock was aging. These newest road warriors join another 50 new black and white Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicles that hit the roads back in April 2014. The two purchase initiatives help to bring the City’s patrol units into a new age crime fighting, which will allow police officers to concentrate on their jobs, and not their dated vehicles.