New Hampton Public Safety Cruiser

The Town of New Hampton has applied for a grant to purchase a new 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe to act as a new police patrol vehicle. This application was made to the Byrne Discretionary Project Grants. This grant was applied for as the Town of New Hampton has consistently utilized taxation for the purchase of new police vehicles, and that in 2022 a police cruiser that was shared between three officers was damaged and was placed out of service for several weeks. This caused the other patrol cruiser to be used approximately twenty hours a day until the vehicle was fixed. This Chevrolet Tahoe would allow each patrol officer to utilize an individual vehicle and cause less wear and tear on the vehicles. Further, this grant includes the cost of outfitting the new vehicle as the Town has reused equipment from previous years and it is now outdated. Also, local vendors will be utilized for the equipment and install to reinvest the money into the community. The new vehicle would allow more community involvement as it would allow vehicles to be available for more community events and make connections with children and their families. Currently, if there is a special event it becomes burdensome as we do not regularly have a spare vehicle to be present at the event and not on the road patrolling. The vehicle will also be used to assist victims of domestic violence-based crimes in transport to hospitals and/or safe places. A larger vehicle like the Chevrolet Tahoe allows victims to feel like they can actually bring enough of their own property with them to a safe place. This grant will help the Town maintain an adequate police fleet while allowing the Town to save for some larger items that need to be addressed in the future.