ABBEVILLE, La. — Abbeville’s Police Chief Mike Hardy is requesting new vehicles for the police department. Hardy’s main concern is safety and the toll the added mileage is having on the department’s vehicles.
“You can’t just buy a police car around here, they are not just sitting on the lot, you have to put in the order, and sometimes they take a year,” Hardy said.
With cars over 100,000 miles, Hardy is hoping for dependable cars. “If an officer is trying to get his car started or keep it running, he’s not going to be able to keep his jas as sterile. He’s going to be busy taking care of the car,” Hardy said.
Hardy estimates the cost will be roughly $500,000 and while he understands that this is a big expense, he said the cars are needed.
According to the 2023 City Budget, the city only allocated $100,000 towards police capital purchases.
Hardy is hoping for ten new or used vehicles for his department.
