Globe Police Department recently acquired six retired cars from the Show Low Police Department. The new editions were sold to the police department at auction price thanks to Chief Joe Shelley from Show Low Police Department. Depending on what type of vehicle and the equipment needed to be patrol ready, the costs for a new addition averages from $53,000 to $58,000.

Of course, that cost only increases for SUVs and trucks. The newer cars that have been added to the ageing fleet of Globe Police Department came fully equip with radios and cages at a cost of $2,000 each. The vehicles are currently being inspected, serviced locally and logos are put on by Tanner Hunsaker and his crew at Western Repo.

With the new and ongoing changes to guidelines from the CDC, GPD has also changed the way they operate. They are split into four teams, with 12 hour shifts to have a period of separation. They have been heavily engaged in the COVID-19 process, with Commander Castaneda attending the update calls on a constant basis with the Gila County Health Department.

The patrol vehicles are decontaminated between shifts with Decon7. The original formula on which D7 was based was created through funding granted by the Department of Energy in Sandia Laboratories in New Mexico. Utilizing cutting-edge developments in chemical science, D7 capitalizes on the natural cleaning power of hydrogen peroxide, penetrating and disarming toxins at a molecular level. This specialized formula penetrates and eliminates pathogenic bacteria, sanitizing down to the molecular level to prevent future outbreaks. D7 is safe and effective in extreme temperatures, food grade so it’s safe for human contact, kills 99.99 percent of bacteria and it’s water-soluble and colorfast.

GPD gave credit to the Globe Fire Department, Captain Kendall Cormack, who took ideas from many people and departments and came up with the way they spray the fleet throughout the city.

The spray unit GPD uses is the same as one that is used for an auto paint. It turns the mixture into a fine mist.

Officer Boyd demonstrated the ease of spraying each car. Each officer at the end of their shift, mixes water with the D7 into a spray bottle. Then spray the inside and outside of the vehicles and even into the air conditioning system to circulate through the vents.

Chief Walters said “The reality of the police department is, we still have to respond to calls, still have to deal with issues within the community, and we will continue to do that.”