The Globe Police Department will be adding three new vehicles to their fleet, rounding out a purchase of eight vehicles that was put on hold to help finance the City’s business relief program.

The City had already bought five of the eight vehicles, using money that was freed up by AZ CARES funding, when it suspended the purchase of the other three in December 2020; the funds to buy them were transferred to the business relief program fund.

With the program completed and its grants issued to local businesses, on March 9 the City Council voted to move ahead with the remaining police vehicles. Councilmembers approved the lease of two new Ford Escape SE detective vehicles and a new Ford F150 command vehicle from Enterprise Fleet Management for $24,550.

“We have enough money to make this purchase early,” said City Manager Paul Jepson. “We are not transferring any additional money.” City staff reported to the council that, based on a delivery date of April 1, leasing and upfitting costs for the 2020-21 budget cycle would be within existing budget capacity.

Police Chief Dale Walters said the vehicles could carry equipment but weren’t designed as full-blown patrol units. “They’ll have radios, lights and a siren, but other than that it’s going to be your standard equipment.

“We’re trying to sprinkle a few four-wheel drives within our fleet, just because of not only the climate up here but the terrain,” Walters added. “They’ve come in handy a number of times.”

The city will ask Enterprise to find existing vehicles for sale rather than ordering from the factory; Walters said two vehicles were at McSpadden Ford in Globe, through whom the first five vehicles were bought.