Mineola, NY-Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi and Nassau Police Commissioner James Lawrence today announced a new police fleet replacement plan calling for an initial purchase of 181 vehicles out of surplus funds in the 2003 budget. Suozzi called on the County Legislature to approve the funds. "Nassau County's police officers require certain tools to do their jobs, and a well-maintained squad car is one of those tools," said Suozzi.

Suozzi further highlighted that the County is phasing in a new policy that police vehicles will be paid for from operating budgets, instead of borrowing the money and thereby increasing the County's debt. "Police vehicles have a useful life of three years or less. The funds for these vehicles should be paid for out of operating costs and not borrowed for, as the County has in the past," explained Suozzi.

"The cost of repairing the aging fleet is more costly than replacement. This large purchase will invigorate new life into our patrol fleet. The Police Department has been operating 180 police cars with over 100,000 miles on them. These 180 cars represent half of the entire marked patrol fleet," said Commissioner Lawrence. "This will be a big boost to our officers on patrol," continued Lawrence.

Today members of the legislature will be asked to approve $4.6 million of surplus funds for 181 vehicles. This is in addition to 39 cars already approved in the 2003 budget.

The funds for the new cars will come from a surplus confirmed by the County Comptroller.

"Our fleet experiences a high level of everyday wear and tear since our patrol cars are out in traffic and on our roads twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week," said Commissioner Lawrence.