SAUGUS — The folks in town will soon learn that the word “hybrid” doesn’t simply mean a form of education when the world’s worst plague spreads among us.
Town Manager Scott Crabtree and the town’s selectmen have announced the addition of four new hybrid police cruisers to the police department’s patrol fleet. The key aspect of the new, fully-furnished vehicles is the estimated 1,276 gallons of fuel per year they will save the town through hybrid powertrain.
The purchase of the new patrol vehicles was approved by the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and Town Meeting as part of an ongoing effort to make continued public safety and capital improvements throughout the community, Crabtree said. This investment in new police cruisers will allow the Police Department to replace current line cars with high mileage or that require frequent maintenance, he said.
The four new 2021 Ford Police Interceptor vehicles are fully marked and equipped with the latest technology, computers, radio communication, and secure vaults for equipment storage. Through fuel savings, the cruisers will result in an estimated annual savings of $3,509 per vehicle, per year, compared to the 2018 cruisers. The eco-friendly vehicles will also reduce carbon dioxide output by an estimated 25,560 pounds annually per vehicle.
“The Board of Selectmen and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of these new hybrid, environmentally-friendly vehicles to our community and its patrol fleet,” said Crabtree. “This important and necessary investment will continue to prioritize the safety of the residents of Saugus and the town’s first responders.”
The selectmen, Finance Committee, and Town Meeting demonstrated its support for purchasing these vehicles during last December’s special Town Meeting, when members voted in favor of the new cruisers as part of the town’s priorities and overall identified capital infrastructure needs.
“I would like to thank everyone and the residents of Saugus for their ongoing support of important public safety equipment investments like this,” said Crabtree. “It is essential that public safety vehicles that are used on a daily, high-demand, high-performance basis be fully functional and safe. We are proud to provide that for our public safety responders and community.”
Steve Krause can be reached at [email protected].
