Really???

[Tex]

I saw something today that almost made me throw up in my mouth.  We have a new police Tahoe?  Really?  We have 2 police Chargers, a black police Silverado truck, a silver police Expedition, the silver Crown Vic is probably still around, the white Marshall's truck (with a total budget price of $55K/yr for driving around looking like a creep) and countless Collin County sheriff's cars patrolling our streets.  Don't we have like 1300 people living in the city of Lavon?  Really??  A gas guzzling Tahoe??  Really?  And not a single see saw or swing for the kids?  Really??  What a joke.  I mean that literally.  If it weren't so tragically true, it'd be a joke fit for an HBO comedy special.
 
FTP

[Kalhoun]

I wouldn't worry nun 'bout that Tex - my guess is, all them vehicles are paid for with cash from speeding tickets.   
 
http://arencambre.com/blog/2010/03/04/texass-worst-speed-traps/
 
They need the Chargers to catch the faster cars, and the 4X4s to catch the ones that try to cut across the field to get away...
 
And our finest do their job real well!!
 
Whenever we have company come out from the big city, they get pulled over even though they aren't even speeding. 
 
 
Take your kids to Josephine, they have a nice old park in the center of town with a real slide and big swings - that's much better than any of these 4 foot tall jobs they build now-a-days anyway
 
(in reality I am greatful that Lavon's Finest put their lives on the line to protect us, and pay enough attention that they use every opportunity to make sure the people on our roads and citizens are safe ... I don't know the budget numbers, but hey, if we have to buy a vehicle now and then or somehow invest in the department so we don't show a profit, so be it  )

[Tex]

if we have to buy a vehicle now and then or somehow invest in the department so we don't show a profit

And that's why I'm pissed.  This is the exact reason that Wylie has 2 (that's right TWO) hovercraft.  HOVERCRAFT!!!  When a municipality has a surplus, they better spend it so they don't lose that money next year.  I mean, it'd be stupid to lower taxes, right?  That's just crazy talk.
 
FTP

[LavonVoice]

I was told that the City got rid of 2 cars, the silver Crown Vic and the white Crown Vic.
Many Police Departments are changing over to the Tahoe's because you can get the Special Service Package for just about the same price as the Crown Vic or Charger and the fuel economy is about the same also.

[Kalhoun]

 
Personally, I always laugh when people are concerned about fuel economy for a police car ... rated at 15 mpg or 40 mpg - that's only for city or highway "driving" ... that is not the life of a police car ... the life of a police car is one of abuse by normal car standards....
 
Idling in the heat (without overheating), running a large amount of electrical equipment (radios, computers) (without frying the alternator or draining the battery), then 0 to persuit speed as quick as a wink!   
 
Fuel "economy" is better guaged in these situations in gallons per hour instead of gallons per mile - in which case the new V8's that shut down 4 cylinders when idling are more comperable than they look at first glance.
 
If I were buying vehicles for a police department, I'd give it more thought than this casual remark, but I'd start with a priority set of -
 

• Safety of the driver
• Safety of the driver
• Safety of the driver (that's not a typo - life is most important by far)
• (crash tests mean nothing here - throw a dump truck at a 5 star Toyota vs a Tahoe and then tell me what you want to drive)
• Maintainability
• Ability to persue considering both the aspects of acceleration and terrain

  For my criteria, the Tahoe's seem like a great choice, especially if they are replacing older fleet
 
Thx for the added info LV!
 
Tex, At least they didn't buy a pair of hovercraft
 

[Tex]

Fuel economy is the least of my concerns.  It's the $26,000 we're spending in the first 2 years of having this vehicle that could have gone to much better use...
 
FTP