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CLOQUET — After the unexpected cancellation of a previous vehicle order, the Cloquet City Council approved the purchase of three vehicles for the Cloquet Police Department, during a meeting Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Police Chief Derek Randall said the notice to cancel the order for a vehicle was made last minute, and the city needed to place an order soon to get vehicles for the upcoming year.
"The last few years have been very difficult for us to attain vehicles for our fleet," he said. "Last year we thought we got a jump on it, and at the last minute they called us and said we weren't going to receive our vehicle."
Randall said the department plans to, on average, add two vehicles a year to maintain its fleet. With the cancellation of its 2022 order, the three vehicles in 2023 would maintain the average.
The vehicles the council approved include a 2023 Dodge Ram pickup truck costing $37,445, and two Dodge Durangos for $38,659 apiece. For the vehicles to be outfitted with police appointments it will require an additional $31,970, Randall added.
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The delivery date for the vehicles is scheduled for some time in 2023, but Randall said a specific date has not been given yet.
Randall said the the three new vehicles would go to patrol officers, as they use their vehicles the most out of all officers, with their current vehicles being moved to investigators, administration or being auctioned off.
"Our younger staff are more active, in their vehicles more, and putting on more miles," he said.
City administrator Tim Peterson said purchasing vehicles has been an issue for the public works department as well.
Peterson said the estimated cost of the vehicles would be $12,750 more than what the city has budgeted for in 2022.
However, Peterson said the city can pay it over two years and has roughly $100,000 in capital improvement reserves to cover the overage for the purchases.
