Centreville PD to see updated equipment

CENTREVILLE — The Centreville Town Council approved upgrades to aging police department computer equipment and the purchase of a new vehicle June 20.

A review of fiscal year 2024’s budget with Finance Officer Karen Luffman showed the Centreville Police Department was expected to have about $150,000 leftover of the remaining funding, according to Police Chief Robert Hobbs.

The police department is currently undergoing an approximately year-long process to replace the aging equipment and upgrade 12 laptop computers inside patrol vehicles, he said.

The current computers were purchased well over a decade ago and even at that time were refurbished brands not new, according to Hobbs.

“We’ve basically been band-aiding those items for quite some time,” he said.

The department is also notably looking to replace the eight-year-old K-9 unit vehicle with over 100,000 miles on it, Hobbs said.

K-9 unit vehicles have notable extended idle hours as they have to remain turned on for air conditioning and heat for the canine, he said.

With the purchase of a newer model, the current K-9 unit will be either taken out of service or used as a spare, he said.

The Centreville Police Department currently has 13 vehicles for active law enforcement officers and one spare, he said.

The council approved the police department’s purchase of a 2023 1500 Classic and outfitting in the amount of $60,468 and six computers at a cost of no more than $22,000.

In other business, it was noted, in observance of the Independence Day holiday, town offices will be closed July 4 and, in appreciation of town staff, the council approved July 5 as an employee holiday.

The Centreville Town Council next will meet July 18.