Wagoner County Sheriff's New Patrol Vehicles

Monday, July 10th 2006, 11:24 am

By: News On 6

The Wagoner County Sheriffâ€™s Office has a new fleet of vehicles, but they aren't your typical patrol cars. Deputies say the bottom line will be improved response to hard to get to places.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day says Wagoner County Sheriff's deputy Dustin Dorr likes the choice for new patrol vehicles. They are Chevy Tahoes. "The first person that messes one of these up is going to be driving a 96 Crown Vic."

The sheriff's office bought 10 of the Tahoes. The funding came from a share of a one penny county sales tax. In the past, the sheriff's office bought patrol cars used, from the Kansas Highway Patrol. But repair issues were a concern. Buying new, means a warranty and fewer maintenance worries.

The downside of getting the Tahoes is gas mileage. Tahoes aren't known for fuel efficiency. But what the sheriff's office sacrifices in miles per gallon, they gain in other areas. Wagoner County is 620 square miles. Many rural areas are hard to get to in a smaller vehicle.

The Tahoes' high clearance is a plus. Deputy Dustin Dorr: "there's places you can go with this that you can't go with a Crown Vic, especially in loose gravel, some growed up back road that you might have to get through in one time or another. "

Wagoner County Sheriff Johnny Cannon: "A peace officer's first job in doing his job is prevention. And being seen is a preventative measure."

The Tahoes cost a total of $260,000. The Sheriff believes the new fleet is an investment that will pay off down the road.

Wagoner County saved money by installing equipment themselves. Deputies did a lot of the work, which saved the sheriff's office about $12,000.