Keauhou
Marked cars
A logical approach to providing patrol cars
In reply to the front page “Dollars and cents,” (Feb. 10) why are we paying $56,000 to $67,000 over two years each for marked police vehicles when we could go to one of Hawaii County’s dealerships and buy a standard vehicle and mark it as official police vehicle?
If we are now using the officers’ personal vehicles and reimbursing officers, it seems these vehicles work well enough to get the job done.
We have the lights and other needed items that are used to convert their vehicles, just use the same thing in a county-owned vehicle. Their vehicles are not specially equipped with an additional $20,000 to $30,000 worth of stuff.
I would think we have the ability here on the Big Island to convert a vehicle into a very well-equipped police vehicle for a lot less than the quoted prices we paid for the cars in 2008 and 2009.
This would also seem to provide the officers a vehicle to do their duty with and remove the family car from county duty.
The local dealers would, I am sure, like the business and they could also provide the vehicles with the services needed.
I am sure fully equipped police vehicles cost a lot because they become a special vehicle at a hefty price, but we are currently doing the job with regular personal vehicles at a lot less (according to the County Council chairman).
Maybe this would be a better idea for the county to make better dollars and cents.
Bob Dempsey
Kailua-Kona
Marked cars
Do what is right for taxpayers, not police
It is time the taxpayers of this county have the final say about marked police cars.
The citizens want marked police cars. Surveys of the police officers really don’t matter.
The taxpayers are the employers, the police the employees.
Do what is right. The citizens of this county deserve it. End the subsidies.
We deserve a professional police force that responds to its citizens, not its selfish desires.
Every other county or city in the country has marked cars. Why not Hawaii?
Tom Helgeson
Keauhou