Saturday, May 8, 2004

Magdalena to receive sponsored squad cars

Pepita Ridgeway El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

The Magdalena Sheriff's Department will soon receive two new police vehicles from a company that provides $1 squad cars to public safety agencies.

In return, the police department will allow the new cars to be painted with corporate logos and advertising.

Magdalena Sheriff Larry Cearley approached the Magdalena Board of Trustees at the April 26 village meeting about the grant from Government Acquisitions Inc., a North Carolina company.

Magdalena Deputy Sheriff Scott Julian was looking through the law enforcement grant Web sites when he came across the car sponsorship proposal.

"There are different types of creative designs for the cars. They are conservative themes. We won't be advertising donut shops, political ads, firearms, gaming or alcohol," Julian said.

Julian said that GAI would find a sponsor that's appropriate for this part of the state. "They'll contact us and ask us if we would agree to a certain type of ad. It has to be a mutual agreement. We also get a choice of car design. The ads will go around the existing graphics," he said.

On GAI's printed proposal, one squad car example had a telephone company and an insurance company advertised on the panels, as well as the GAI logo on the hood.

Cearley said the cars would benefit the Magdalena Sheriff's Department and the village. "This will save us buying new police cars. There'll be fewer miles on our cars, so it will be safer for our police officers. We'll also save on maintenance because of the low mileage."

Cearley said the Law Enforcement Protection Grant money can now be used to buy equipment instead of cars.

The cars, which will cost the department $1 each, can be sold back to GAI after three years. If the contract is renewed, two new cars can be purchased for an additional $1 each.

The Magdalena Sheriff's department has also had $8,000 worth of equipment donated by the Albuquerque Police Department, which will be used on the new cars. The equipment includes light bars, cages and plastic transport seats.

Another benefit to the community, said Cearley, is that the cars would probably be purchased from Socorro's Monette Ford. The total cost of each unit is about $31,000.

Cearley said that he plans to purchase two Ford Expeditions for the department, bringing the total number of cars for Magdalena to eight. Cearley then plans to auction three of the older squad cars.

The Board of Trustees approved Cearley's proposal, with Board Member Jack Fairweather opposed.

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