New Patrol Cars For Overton Sheriff This Fall

The Overton County Sheriff Department will hit the road with new patrol vehicles as soon as this fall.

County Executive Ben Danner said acquiring the vehicles is possible thanks to a $160,000 local support grant.

“This money from the governor will help us be able to buy those patrol cars,” Danner said. “[We] might have to dip into the tax base for that, so that’ll help us quite a bit. We’ve probably got eight cars that need replacing. We’ll try to do four this year and maybe four next year out of that same money from the governor.”

The funds will become available July 1. Danner said the department usually sees new vehicles come in a month after ordering, but because of the pandemic they may have to wait three months. Danner said they usually order Dodge Rango SUV’s because they have four wheel drive to accommodate back road travel. He said the state already bids out patrol cars, so the department doesn’t have to.

“There’s a certain dealership in Tennessee that got the state bid, and we just have to contact them,” Danner said. “If they’re available they go ahead and send them to us, but if they’re not they have to build them. If they have to build these, we’re talking about several months because I think the factories are still shut down.”

The department has about 16 cars already. Danner said the funds will not only help the department, but the county as well.

“The governor put that money in the budget, and we can’t just use it for anything to offset COVID-19 expenses,” Danner said. “But, that will help us not have to take that out of our fund balance. That’ll really help the department too. [They’ll] get patrol cars so they won’t have to worry about them breaking down when they’re coming out to resident’s houses to help the public.”

Danner said Overton officials have applied for a $350,000 grant request to acquire mini pumpers for all twelve volunteer fire departments.