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Campus police, parking add three new vehicles to fleet

August 13, 2014
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UNK Police Replace Cruisers KEARNEY - The University of Nebraska at Kearney has rolled out three new vehicles for its Police and Parking Services Department. They include two 2015 Ford Police Interceptors and a 2014 Ford F150 truck. The vehicles have already improved department visibility across campus and provide a strong reminder of police presence, said Director Michelle Hamaker. “The new graphics definitely catch your eye and already are creating more awareness in the campus community,” Hamaker said. “Our staff is excited and very appreciative of the university’s initiative to fund this effort and give us needed resources to do our job at the highest level.” Make and Model: Both police vehicles are 2015 Ford Police Interceptors, which are based on the Ford Explorer model. The truck purchased for Parking Services is a 2014 Ford F150. Put In Service: The new vehicles arrived July 14 and began patrolling campus the following week. Replaced Cars: UNK’s previous fleet included a pair of 2005 and 2002 Ford Crown Victorias. Each had more than 145,000 miles. “They were spending more time in the shop than on the road,” Hamaker said. “It was definitely time to replace them.” … The former cars were loaned to UNK in 2009-10 through an agreement with the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department after they were taken out of that department’s inventory. The vehicles have been turned back over to Buffalo County. Cost: $89,782. The amount includes two backseat prisoner containment units ($2,960) and new exterior decals/graphics and their installation ($6,637). Each 2015 Interceptor was $27,403, while the F150 truck was $25,126. UNK purchased the vehicles from Anderson Ford in Lincoln. Years of Service: UNK expects to get 10 years of service out of the new vehicles. Staffing: Police and Parking Services at UNK employs 13 people in addition to Hamaker. They include 10 full-time officers and three office staff who serve both parking and police. Equipment: UNK was able to transfer much of its equipment from the previous vehicles to the new cars, including radars, lights and sirens, control panels and in-car cameras. However, the cars are being upgraded to include new software and Mobile Data Terminals, which will allow officers to view campus security cameras from inside their vehicles as well as access information and file reports faster.