Police vehicles are integral to law enforcement agencies operating efficiently and effectively. Officers spend a lot of time in their patrol cars, and they have become a mobile office in many respects. Managing these fleets is a major responsibility, regardless if an agency is small or large. Although terrain and weather conditions might impact the wear and tear on police vehicles, there are several other issues that can affect any department’s fleet, whether it is located on the East Coast, West Coast, or in the Midwest. Police Fleet Manager talked to several fleet managers about how their jobs have changed over the past few years and the topics they are most concerned about.
Lieutenant Paul (PJ) Fernandes
Assistant Fleet Manager
Massachusetts State Police
Question: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?
Answer: I have been with the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) since 1996. I started out on the road as a trooper, then moved up to Sergeant and Lieutenant. During that time, I handled upfitting of our vehicles and was an EVOC instructor. I also was involved in the procurement and the budgeting process, which gave me a good understanding of the vehicles and how we buy them from start to finish. Since 2015, I have been the Assistant Fleet Manager.
Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?
A: Typically, the day-to-day responsibilities, what comes in for procurement as well as fuel accounts, etc. I manage and oversee what the needs are and what we are buying, and what goes into the Command Post and Special Events. I oversee basic fleet operations plus all the small things that go into a department’s fleet. We have six different garages, as our fleet has 3,200 vehicles total, with 1,600 of them in front-line patrol. The remainder are administrative, trailers, generators, and heavy-duty vehicles.
Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night” what would they be?
A: I try not to have anything keep me up at night, otherwise, it can drive you crazy. But if I had to pick one thing, it would probably be funding. If you don’t have money, you are out of business. You need funds to buy new cars, maintain them, and purchase equipment in order to keep officers happy. Also, we are nothing without our employees. At one point, our mechanics were underpaid, so we went to bat for them so they could negotiate a higher pay rate. Working with state budgets can be challenging. Ultimately, we want to put out a good, safe vehicle and always want to try to do better.
Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?
A: Yes, I have been to PFE the last 5 years. I think it is the best thing going for a fleet manager. It is perfectly designed, offering everything in one place… You can see and talk to the Big 3, which is great. The clinics and sessions are so valuable because you can discuss issues in person instead of via email or phone. I always tell other fleet managers that they need to go to PFE. The last PFE in Richmond was a home run!
Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, and new products in the market?
A: By going to trade shows like PFE, and if I had to pick just one, it would definitely be PFE. Manufacturer rep visits can be difficult since walk-ins are hard if you are busy and not expecting a visit. However, setting a time or appointment with a rep to see the latest products up close is helpful. We usually have 3–4 reps come in per month. Email is typically better than postcards or flyers, but I do try to look at them all.
In addition, I was selected to be on the Ford Police Advisory Board (PAB), and the General Motors Law Enforcement Council, both an honor I take very seriously. I find information gathered from these meetings extremely interesting. Also, talking to colleagues helps with learning new tools of the trade. Just because you have done something for a long time doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t a better way.
Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency?
A: My boss, the fleet manager, makes the purchasing decisions. We sit down and look at the department needs and formulate a plan that works best with the available funding.
Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions in your agency regarding:
A: Vehicles: The Fleet Administrator and myself; we formulate a replacement plan based on needs of the department.
Radios: Our Radio section determines radio type and style for each vehicle.
Body Cameras: Body and vehicle cameras are decided upon by the Captain in charge of body cameras. He consults with the Fleet department for installation in each vehicle.
Rugged Laptops or other items for the vehicle: Laptops are purchased through our IT department. We work with them to come up with a mounting dock solution for vehicles.
Lightbars and other exterior equipment for the vehicle: Lightbars and graphics are decided by the Fleet department.
Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?
A: That is the hot topic around the world right now. We actually have the highest funding this year. Our agency put orders in for new equipment and are hoping for the best. The Big 3 will give us straight answers on when to expect things, they are not going to candy coat it. I still can’t get specialty or big-ticket items; however, we are OK on the basics.
Q: Is hiring good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments a problem? Do you have several vacancies?
A: We have a mix of both sworn and civilian personnel working within our fleet. They have exposure to all the assets of the fleet to better understand what goes into upfitting the vehicles. The key to long-term commitment, knowledge, and experience is time. Time and experience cannot be replaced. We do not currently have any vacancies.
Q: Are the costs of maintaining a fleet of vehicles coming in higher than other years or about the same?
A: I would say definitely higher—everything is going up. We were able to secure a contract price for new cars, which I was shocked we could get. Fuel is high so we will have to adjust to that expense.
Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today? Is it making your job easier or more complicated?
A: Both—there is really a lot of stuff in the cars today. Teaching all of the new technology to officers takes time. Some of the lightbar and dimming packages are complex. Overall, some products make things easier and some products can make things more complicated.
Q: What effect has the global semiconductor shortage had on your fleet?
A: It has affected getting certain parts, for sure. For example, it is taking around 30 weeks to get a new chassis on a F-350 now. We are also working on fiscal year constraints. It is tough, you certainly need patience. Luckily, we ordered 150 cars in one year and received all of them, but some agencies are not getting their orders that quickly. We are very fortunate as an agency, having good regional representatives with effective communication and established relationships.
Lieutenant Barry A. Dufek
Administrative Commander
Purcellville, VA Police Department
Q: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?
A: I am the administrative commander who oversees the fleet management program for our department. I cannot take full credit, as I have people that work really hard under me that “make great decisions based on the 21st Century Policing” model. This means that keeping up with the newest and best equipment can be a full-time job.
Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?
A: Fleet Management is only one of my core responsibilities. I also oversee Accreditation, Policy, Background Investigations, Internal Affairs Investigations, Records Management, FOIA, in addition to all that goes into Fleet Management.
Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night” what would they be?
A: Being a driver training instructor, as well as a master motorcycle instructor, tire pressure and having “good” tires on a vehicle is always a level of stress for me. Officers respond to emergencies, driving fast even in unpleasant conditions, and tires are so critically important to the safety of our officers.
Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?
A: The 2021 Police Fleet Expo was my first event of many that I plan to attend.
Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, and new products in the market?
A: Being in the driver training industry, us as instructors speak regularly about the best equipment on the market, and test the newest and best out there before making decisions on what to place in or on our vehicles. My department does receive e-mail solicitation, mail, and as I explained previously, we attend trade shows. I speak with many of the other Northern Virginia fleet managers.
Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency?
A: Although I make the decisions on what equipment and which vehicles we go with, this is always predicated on what the Town Council allocates funds for.
Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions in your agency regarding these items?
A: Ultimately, we have a conversation with our fleet management team where we discuss need versus want, and then we look at the latest equipment options available. This is true for all the items listed above.
Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?
A: I have not had a hard time getting my hands on vehicles during the pandemic.
Q: Is hiring good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments a problem? Do you have several vacancies?
A: I cannot speak to this, as we keep fleet management as an ancillary duty.
Q: Are the costs of maintaining a fleet of vehicles coming in higher than other years or about the same?
A: As our vehicles increase in age, we tend to see an uptick in maintenance costs, mainly because vehicles go out of warranty.
Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today? Is it making your job easier or more complicated?
A: Technology is always good. Having electronic citation, MDTs, cameras, stands, etc., in our vehicles make training more difficult since having a training officer and trainee in one vehicle with all the equipment proves tight. With that said, the more technology and information we can gather, the safer our jobs become.
Q: What effect has the global semiconductor shortage had on your fleet?
A: We have not seen an issue with this.
Officer Jonathan Hickel
Technology Division
Alpharetta, GA Police Department
Q: How long have you been a Fleet Manager?
A: I have been a Police Officer with the City of Alpharetta for the past 15 years. For the last 10 years, I have been assigned to our Department’s Technology Division where I assist in the planning, procuring, upfitting, and repair of our vehicles, emergency equipment, and technology, both inside and outside of the car. I started my career with Alpharetta Police as an Explorer in November of 2000 and became a 911 Dispatcher in 2006. After six months, I went to the Police Academy and worked both night and days shifts in Patrol. In May of 2011, I started a six-month temporary assignment to work under the 911 Director to get our Fleet and Technology needs squared away. Ten years later, I am still having a blast supporting our Police, Fire, and 911 Departments with our vehicle, technology, and radio needs. I am the Commander of the Department’s Honor Guard, a Lead Advisor to the Alpharetta Police Explorer Post, and was recently been appointed to Ford Motor Company’s Police Advisory Board in February of 2020. My wife is also an Officer with Alpharetta, serving on the Bicycle Patrol in the Community Services Unit. Together, we make a pretty jam-up team, although she does drive the nicer truck!
Q: What are a few of your key, primary responsibilities?
A: #1: First responsibility is to be on-call for issues with our officers’ equipment, especially our nightshift folks who are often forgotten. If it can’t be fixed or mitigated, what can I do to get the officer back on the street? With such a reliance on technology these days, downtime has an impact to the officer, their shift, the general public, and our budget. It is a delicate balance to keep our operations running smoothly.
# 2: Staying up to date with the constant changes in technology, practices, vehicles, and equipment. Exposure to new items and ideas helps you validate your existing practices and equipment or show you where improvements can be made. While planning and budget are important factors in Fleet Management, I like to keep in mind that I am outfitting their office for a 12-hour shift; what will give them the tools and safety they need to complete their jobs?
#3: Anything with a battery or a plug comes across my desk!
Q: If you had to pick one or two fleet-related issues that “keep you up on a Sunday night” what would they be?
A: The Third Tenet of the Below 100 Initiative, is to “Watch your speed.” No matter how many improvements in safety and technology manufacturers incorporate into their vehicles, we need to drive cautiously, defensively, and with Due Regard. Each of us behind the wheel are directly in control of that. No call is so important that we should risk our safety and the safety of the public to get there at an unnecessary speed. Arrive alive!
Q: Have you ever been to Police Fleet Expo? If so, what was your experience like?
A: My first Police Fleet Expo was St. Louis in 2011. I’ve gone every year since. It is a fantastic event that gets you directly in touch with the manufacturers and dealers of the equipment we use every day and exposes you to the latest and greatest trends and equipment. There is incredible support from the “Big Three” vehicle manufacturers to commit to releasing information and having open dialogue on their products, directly with their users. In addition, they provide vehicles for a Ride and Drive event that lets you get hands-on experience finding the best vehicle for your agency. The networking, breakout, and education sessions are invaluable to fleet managers both old and new. With a rotating location, it makes it convenient to attend and inexpensive to travel. Police Fleet Expo has cemented itself as a premier event every year where many manufacturers choose to introduce, announce, and launch new products and services.
Q: How do you keep up on new vehicles, new vehicle equipment, new products in the market?
A: Police Fleet Expo and IACP are my go-to trade shows. They offer the best value for the money for exposure to equipment, practices, and technology. Once you attend those shows, you are bound to get email solicitations from reps who reach out or email blasts from the marketing department. With so many things vying for our time and attention, the more information we can glean digitally, the better, especially the digital editions of Police Fleet Manager magazine! Word of mouth from colleagues, other officers, and your local upfitter are invaluable. We can’t be expected to know or see everything out there. Take advantage of all the resources you can to make your department better!
Q: Who actually makes the vehicle purchasing decisions within your agency?
A: There is a small committee of people that has input into the decision. Special requests can come in from certain units that have to be evaluated and talked through to make sure we accomplish their goals with the right equipment, vehicle, and technology. After that, we budget for new vehicles based on established replacement criteria and present that to the Chief to present to our City Council. We are fortunate to have a well-funded capital expenditure account to purchase new vehicles on a yearly basis.
Q: Who makes the following purchasing decisions in your agency regarding:
A: We are locked into certain vendors for certain equipment based on local and regional contracts and commitments. We are part of a regional radio system authority, which uses Motorola and we have identified them as sole source provider. One of my recent projects was to evaluate, procure, and deploy replacement portable radios for Police and Fire and we should have it wrapped up by the end of November!
For Body Cameras, we launched an RFP process with a team to evaluate multiple vendors to secure a five-year contract. I have to work closely with our city’s IT department to select and configure laptops to public safety’s specification. Vehicle purchases are usually dictated by the needs of the units, but we are moving to SUVs and pickup trucks overall. We like uniformity in the fleet, so we standardize with certain vendors for emergency lighting and interior consoles and cages so that the user experience is similar across patrol and admin vehicles. A big part of our decision-making process is to expose ourselves to new technology, ideas, and products, while tempering wishes against our budget, to deliver a functional and safe product for our users in the field.
Q: Is it difficult to get vehicles or vehicle parts right now, due to the supply chains being disrupted during the pandemic?
A: We are seeing shortages, delays, and items out of stock. So far, we have been able to weather the storm, but we are definitely feeling the effects!
Q: Is hiring good, qualified personnel to work within the fleet departments, a problem? Do you have several vacancies?
A: We outsource all our work to dealerships, local vendors, and upfitters. We manage processes in house, but the labor is being done by third parties. In talking with our vendors, they are experiencing increasing demand for their services with dwindling labor resources. That, in turn, means delays in our vehicles and equipment being serviced and upfit!
Q: Are the costs of maintaining a police fleet (or fleet of vehicles) coming in higher than other years or about the same?
A: We are seeing slight increases due to material costs going up, year model changes in vehicles have increased base price costs, and fuel costs have risen slightly. We are fortunate to have a “young” fleet, so maintenance costs have been flat the past few years.
Q: How are you handling all the new technology in the vehicles today? Is it making your job easier or more complicated?
A: We always have to examine the cost-benefit analysis of technology in our fleet. Do I want telematic data from our vehicles? Yes, I do. But can I afford the monthly subscription cost per vehicle on top of the cellular service, the lease on equipment, and the other software-as-a-service monthly costs? Maybe it is worth it. Maybe some of our existing equipment has the ability to perform this function at a reduced cost. I will always make the case for technology and equipment that will make our officers safer, their jobs easier, and their “mobile office” more efficient. It may not happen overnight, but presenting detailed, logical, and thoughtful presentations and arguments is the right way to get the job done.
Q: What effect has the global semiconductor shortage had on your fleet?
A: Delays in vehicle and laptop delivery have been our only two so far. I would anticipate supply-chain issues on a number of products and equipment going forward, but despite those concerns, we will do the best we can with what we have!
