2004-01-AU Hawai‘i County Police Department Vehicles

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E. "Police Automobile Fleet Study for the Hawai'i Police Department ", 1994 In February 1994, the H avvai ` i County Police Department issued a 71 -page study titled Police Automobi I e F eet Study for Hawai ` i Pot i ce Department for the " purpose of i nvesti gati ng feasi bl a alternatives to the subsi di zed vehi d e program of the H awai ` i Pol i ce Department, County of H awai ` i ." According to the report, H CPD' s 1992 expenditures for its subsidized vehicle program accounted for approxi matel y $2.6 mi I I i on i n expendi tures and cond uded that " thi s amount i s substanti al and warrants i nqui ry i nto al ternate methods of maki ng the use of pol i ce automobi I es more effi ci ent and feasi bl e." I t noted that $2.6 mi I I i on or approxi mate) y 10% of H CPD' s 1992 budget i nvol ved expendi tures assod aced wi th the subsi di zed vehi cl a program. The 1994 report concluded that "the H awai ` i Police Department has an obligation to the citizens of H avvai ` i County to search for the most eff i ci ent and feasi bl a vehi cl a program. A f I eet vehi d e program may be the answer." The study exami ned possi bl a conversi on i nto a fl eet vehi d e program by anal yzi ng M aui County's fl eet program as well as the subsidized program of HCPD. The advantages and disadvantages of both programs were exami ned. I n sel ecti ng the M aui fl eet program for purposes of compari son, the study authors stated that " the geographi cal area and economi c cl i mate" of M aui County more cl osel y resembl ed H awai ` i County than Kauai or the Ci ty & County of H onol ul u. Whi I e the report's f i ndi ngs were " not meant to be cond usi ve," the H CPD study concl uded that " the i mpl ementati on of a f I eet or parti al f I eet program for H CPD may be feasi bl e, and further research through a pi I of program i s warranted." I n 1977, M aui County converted to an enti rd y county -owned f I eet. I is subsi di zed vehi d e program was phased out through pl anned annual purchasi ng of fl eet vehi d es. I n 1990, the M aui Pol i ce Department conducted a study to determi ne whether a return to a subsi di zed vehi cl a program woul d be more cost - effective. The study estimated that MPD spent $938,235 annually to operate 126 vehicles, whereas conversion to 263 subsi di zed vehi d es woul d cost Maui County $1,503,321. The study cond uded that the MPD f I eet program saved approximately $565,086 annually on direct costs and $176,421 in indirect costs. 1. MPD Fleet Program Findings I n 1977, M aui County converted f rom a subsi di zed vehi d e program to an enti rely county -owned fl eet vi a the phased annual purchase of fl eet vehi d es. That year, a motorpool was establ i shed at M PD's mai n compl ex i n Wei I uku. The M PD fl eet consi sted of patrol cars, unmarked cars, trucks, paddy wagons, motorcyd es and a public relations vehicle. M PD used Chevrolet L umi nas as unmarked cars and Chevrolet Caprices and Ford Crown Victories for patrol purposes. Purchased 4 -door patrol vehicles met the sped f cati ons set forth by the M i nnesota State Patrol and I nternati onal A ssod ati on of Chi efs of Police (I A CP) for speci al I y constructed rear seats, security cages, light bars, heavy duty suspensi on, V -8 engi nes and extended warranti es. Four -wheel dri ve vehi cl es, most assi gned to the rural districts of H ana, Lanai and Molokai, included Jeep Cherokees and several I suzu Troopers and Chevrolet Blazers. In 1993, MPD issued a bi d for the purchase of 22 patrol vehi d es. Valley Isle Motors, the winning bidder, proposed 1993 Ford Crown V i ctori as at $17,834 each, fully equipped, with the eccepti on of pd i ce radi os. I nd udi ng an opti onal extended warranty of $1,083, Val I ey I sl e' s total pri ce came to 22