By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
With many law enforcement agencies plagued by vehicle supply issues, Yukon police officers are due to receive three new units.
The Yukon Police Department is updating its fleet with 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV) units from Carter Chevrolet in Okarche.
The $117,675 purchase is being made under state contract. Two 4X4 units each cost $40,250 and one 4X2 unit costs $37,175.
The three new SUVs will be used by Yukon officers to patrol city streets, according to Deputy Police Chief John Brown.
The 2022 Chevy Tahoe PPV is “engineered to give officers an advantage in a variety of situations” while providing “powerful backup” when police need “proven performance for their fleets,” according to the GM Fleet website.
Because of difficulties buying new vehicles, Brown said the YPD is fortunate to have found these three units from the auto dealership in northwest Canadian County.
A previous new vehicle order that YPD had made was abruptly canceled because of manufacturing delays.
The Yukon City Council on July 5 voted unanimously to buy the three Chevy Tahoes for Yukon Police.
Funds for this purchase are included in the Yukon Police fiscal year 2022-23 capital budget.
Yukon Police Chief John Corn requested the purchase, noting in a June 24th memo that Carter Chevrolet has the units “available at this time for sale.”
In other YPD news, the Yukon City Council has approved selling “surplus” police body armor to the University of Central Oklahoma for $1,000.
The male protective vest was fitted for an officer and “would not be suited for use by any other member of staff or reissued,” according to a memo from Chief Corn.
THIS AND THAT …
In other business at their July 5th meeting, Yukon City Council members approved:
- Authorizing City of Yukon engineering firm TEIM Design to seek bids for an exterior rehabilitation project at the Jackie Cooper Gym, 1024 E Main. Bid opening will be 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Yukon City Hall.
- Collective bargaining agreement between the City of Yukon and International Association of Firefighters Local #2055 for fiscal year 2022-23 (see story in upcoming edition).
- Paying $18,740 to Tyler Technologies for the migration of New World software to the Enterprise version and $7,050 for a Red Hat Linux server software subscription and replacement of an existing message switch.
- Paying $28,950 to Civic Plus for a CivicEngage website module.
- Renewing Yukon’s membership in the Oklahoma Municipal League for FY22-23. Cost is $31,497.58.
- Renewing an agreement with HBC CPAs and Advisors to prepare the City of Yukon’s annual audit. Estimated cost is $30,400.
- Renewing an agreement with Crawford & Associates P.C. to present the City of Yukon’s annual financial statements and provide general accounting and advisory assistance.
- Renewing a contract with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to use inmates from the Union City Correctional Center for Yukon public works projects. The monthly cost has been reduced from $1,080 to $675 because the number of inmates has dropped from eight to five.
- Renewing the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group workers’ compensation plan. Total premium amount is $686,534.90.
- Appointment of Vice Mayor Jeff Wootton as the city council’s alternate member on the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments’ board of directors and committees.
- Appointments of Ward 4 Council Member Aric Gilliland (trustee one), Mick Hale (trustee three) and Chase Tipton (trustee four) to the Yukon Economic Development Authority board.
