MANSFIELD — Law enforcement cruisers do not come cheap.
County commissioners on Tuesday authorized the Richland County Sheriff’s Office to purchase six cruisers from StateWide Ford for a total of $365,212.
The cruisers will be paid for with money from the county reinvestment fund. Commissioner Tony Vero said the three-member board previously approved the purchase during department budget discussions last year.
“We are at that time (to purchase the cruisers),” Vero said Tuesday.
In a letter related to his 2025 budget request, Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon said the cruiser purchase was needed to “maintain an effective rotation” of the department’s fleet.
“The new cruisers would be replacing cruisers ready to be rotated out of our fleet,” he previously wrote to commissioners.
Vero said he spoke Tuesday morning with RCSO Capt. Jim Sweat to get a better understanding of the department’s fleet inventory — which is currently running a bit high at 91 vehicles.
“They are already in the process of disposing 12 and another eight will be coming,” Vero said. “The more accurate number is around 70-71, which still isn’t light, but it’s a lot better than 91.”
New cruisers means new equipment will also be required.
The three-member board authorized RCSO to purchase four laptops — to be installed in cruisers — with a total price tag of $12,300. The technology is also being paid for with money from the county reinvestment fund.
Commissioners also authorized RCSO to purchase a transport vehicle for jail purposes, also from StateWide Ford, for $58,065 — to be paid for with money from the department’s Evercom fund.
Vero said it’s not uncommon for about six new vehicles to be requested each budget cycle.
“We (commissioners) will never guarantee six cruisers every year,” he said, explaining it has cost county taxpayers a hefty amount to update the department’s fleet.
“There may not be a cruiser approval for 2026,” Vero said.