By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Board of Commissioners today approved the purchase of five new patrol vehicles for the sheriff’s office with an expenditure of almost $200,000.
The 2017 Ford Police Interceptor sport utility vehicles are replacing five in use that have more than 150,000 miles on them, according to Undersheriff Wes Rethwill.
Current LCSO patrol vehicle
Each deputy has their own patrol vehicle and the sheriff’s office replaces five vehicles each year, Rethwill said. He estimated the office currently has about 40 patrol vehicles.
They are transitioning away from silver; the new ones will be dark gray, Rethwill said.
These were scheduled to be bought in 2017, but to take advantage of a particular price savings, they were allowed to get them early, according to Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund.
The fleet services division of Lewis County Public Works made the request.
While the base price is $27,433, once they are outfitted for police use, the pre-tax cost is $37,222 apiece, according to documents submitted to the commissioners.
They are buying them from Columbia Ford in Longview. The final bill is $197,616.09.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
How about using his fucking taser John? I have actually seen this tactic work vs killing someone. That’s why they have them dumbshit. I am confident if you spent as much time and energy coming up with alternative tactics to murder based on whats available and has been trained, as you have on snarky smartass remarks, that you wouldn’t come off looking like an asshat to the degree you do now. Let me help you with another one of your questions. The way we know the camera would have caught something is that the suspect would no doubt be led infront of the camera as he was being arrested and put in the car, as what the scenario would havr been had leathal force not been the go to for an officer that has a little help being kept honest by the knowlege he was being recorded.
Oh yeah, The required lettering on sherriffs marked suvs will not be visible as they are using decals in the same shade as the paint. Using ghost letters only visable in heavily lighted area and phantom decals is entrapment. They seem to find a way to skirt the laws and regulations they have sworn to protect. AGAIN!
Mcknight failed to deploy non-lethal measures to subdue the insubordinate subject. Was Mcknight in immediate danger? Hands in pockets doesnt constitute immediate danger only a potential one – if he had a knife. I believe the answer is no. Did he follow his training?? No. Did he kill a man. Yes. Is he scott free? Yes. Is that wrong? Yes. This wasnt a war zone scenario. Im sorry but this guy got away with murder. Use your training and badge to protect life and liberty not take it.
Thank you.
Mcknight is now a police officer for chehalis. And this is just a scam! they really dont need new cars, just another way to waste money.
No body cameras no dash cameras just another fairytale.
I’m sure the deputy had time to wait for backup while a guy who was suspected of threatening people with a knife charged him. Maybe he could have run around his patrol vehicle until more cops showed up? Maybe he could have tossed the guy his cell phone and challenged him to a game of bingo? And how do you know that a camera would have shown anything. Cameras are a good tool but they don’t always capture things and people try to see something that isn’t there and get upset when it’s not recorded. Not to mention dash cams only record things that happen in front of the vehicle. Had he played run from the man with the bad behavior the event could have happened on the side of the vehicle. Want to mount cams there too? Do you want all police vehicles to look like google cars? I’ll bet you would be the first to complain about the surveillance state if they did that. Also, publicly calling the deputy a murderer is a bad idea when he was cleared of charges.
Peabody, you’re entitled to your opinion, but not your own twisted facts. McKnight was just one of several officers who responded that night, not the only one. He just happened to be the one who was charged.
Are these new vehicle going to be outfitted with Dash Cameras? Lol, Nope not in this County. Plenty of money for raises and new vehicles but no money to record police officers actions like police Murderer Deputy McKnight who gunned a man down and failed to wait for back up.