A total of nine new Dodge Charger police cruisers are ready to roll this week.
One of the new patrol cars is already on patrol. Picayune Police Chief Bryan Dawsey said the vehicle was purchased last year with money saved from the use of the earlier model of Chargers they put on the streets for the first time in 2007.
The newer Chargers have special technology that saves on fuel when the vehicle is not engaged in a high-speed chase. While at cruising speed the vehicles use technology that deactivates cylinders when they are not needed.
Through this savings in fuel expense, Dawsey said the department was able to purchase a 2015 Charger last year.
This year, the department took out a three-year lease purchase to add eight more of the vehicles to the fleet, allowing the department to retire a number of aging Ford Crown Victorias.
The newest patrol vehicles are the 2016 models, and recently came back to town with the full police package. Each vehicle was estimated to cost the city about $30,000 fully equipped.
Dawsey said this is the largest purchase of police vehicles at one time in the city’s history.
The vehicles are painted black, and feature the department’s logo along with the city of Picayune’s logo.