A request by Kevin Curry, VP of Public Safety to spend IPNA funds for new patrol car.
A few weeks ago, our old but trusty Inman Park patrol car, the 2007 Ford Crown Vic gave up the ghost and blew a head gasket. It was not worth another repair bill to bring it back to life, so we must replace the car as soon as possible. The patrol is now being performed in the APD officer's private vehicles.
I have asked another neighborhood association patrol, namely Midtown Blue, and several APD officer's for advice on the types and models of recommended patrol vehicles. Two vehicles seem to come up regularly and they are the Ford Explorer (an SUV) and the Toyota Tacoma (an extended cab pickup). Everyone I spoke to seems to think the idea of a taller vehicle offers three distinct advantages; riding higher in the seat so that the patrol officer has better visibility, easier access in and out of the vehicle and lastly more visibility as the officers drive through the neighborhood. Also, they seem to be longer lasting vehicles given the constant on-the-road demand they are subjected to.