SAGINAW, MI -- Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel plans to use surplus funds in his budget to buy four new Dodge Charger patrol cars for his deputies.
On the streets, they'll look more like patrol cars from years ago with retro paint schemes and light kits.
"What I've decided is to go old school," Federspiel said. "You will know it's the sheriff's office and that we are here to serve you."
The change to the sheriff's budget was approved Tuesday, Oct. 20, by the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners.
County Controller Robert Belleman explained that the fund devoted to monies raised by the sheriff's "road patrol" millage had about $105,000 left over when the 2014-15 fiscal year ended on Sept. 30.
As agreed when the current fiscal year budget was approved, the excess funds were used to help pay for four of the nine patrol car purchases planned for in the county's 2015-16 budget.
Federspiel said his office got a "good deal" for the four Chargers, all outfitted with police packages and all-wheel drive, paying about $26,000 for each.
He said there is enough set aside in the 2015-16 fiscal year budget, which kicked in on Oct. 1, to buy another three or four patrol cars for the fleet.
The sheriff said there is a pressing need to replace several older patrol cars with 160-180 thousand miles on them.
"This will put us in a good position for the next few years," Federspiel said.
The sheriff plans to transition the entire fleet to and older-style black and white color scheme with a sheriff's star displayed prominently on the front door. Federspiel also is eliminating the LED light bars used atop current patrol cars.
"As a citizen, when I'm driving at night, to see these bright LEDs flashing with all these different patterns, it's blinding. I don't think it's good," he said.
Instead of the LED light bar, Federspiel is outfitting new cars with a rotating, halogen-powered "red and blue bubble" light system.
The sheriff sold the F-150 pickup truck he had been driving and is now driving one of the newly-outfitted Chargers himself.
"I think it looks great," Federspiel said. "Everybody I've talked to in the public loves it. They like that we're not hiding and that we're visible."
Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.
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