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New Fleet Vehicles for Fire and Police Departments

by KREX News Room
by Danielle Kreutter

Story Created: Feb 6, 2013 at 10:36 PM MDT

Story Updated: Feb 6, 2013 at 11:17 PM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Grand Junction Fire and Police Chief will now be able to secure their own emergency response vehicles.

The $57,000 decision was passed unanimously by City Council Wednesday night.

Currently, the chiefs have to drive their own personal car to and from emergency situations which can be a liability.

"Obviously they would have to obey the laws of any other citizen because they wouldn't have the opportunity to have lights and sirens as they would now in a marked vehicle, so they could actually get to the scene more quickly, more safely and actually be in communication with the incident command en route," said Jay Valentine with the city of Grand Junction.

The compensation stipend that the chiefs usually get for driving their own vehicles would be reserved and put towards the purchase of the new emergency response vehicles instead.

City officials say the decision is "budget neutral."

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Retired Public Safety Commish said on Thursday, Feb 7 at 9:17 AM

Really folks? The two Chiefs don't have an assigned vehicle? Across this country in departments larger and much smaller they do, it's just unheard of. Wait until one gets in an accident and see who is held liable, not them but their employer.....seen it before. By law they are covered under work comp after being notified and once they respond until they get back home. This is one spending decision the council was correct on.

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