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How many new squad cars???
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How many new squad cars???
Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 5, 2011
How many new squad cars of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) are sitting in the shed out on Nelson Road? Waiting to be striped with decals and to have radio and emergency equipment installed?
You know where the impound lot is, don't you? It's on Nelson Road at Murray Road, just west of Deep Cut Road. Of course, when you drive by, you won't know it's a County building or that the Sheriff's Department is using it, because there are no signs; not even a fire department address number.
I started hearing rumors months ago, and recently two people have told me that there are 20-25 new cars there, just waiting to be put into use. Possibly since 2009. Why would the sheriff buy so many cars so far ahead of need and then just store them, out of sight, in this building? And why would the County Board approve the expenditure?
Who gets new squad cars at MCSD? Are the newer cars assigned to those with the highest seniority? Or do the new cars get assigned to those in the "in-group"? Are there some long-timers driving old beaten-up squad cars with 150,-160,000 miles on the odometers?
Two lists ought to reveal some very interesting information.
1. the year, make and model, purchase date, delivery date, and anticipated date of first use for the cars stored at the Nelson Road facility;
2. a listing of deputies (with some identifier such as Badge No.) by hire date and then the age and mileage of the Department vehicle assigned to them.
Is it correct that the squad car driven by Sheriff Nygren in the Crystal Lake parade on July 3 is assigned for his sole use? Why in the world would a marked squad car be assigned to the sheriff, when it could be in daily use by a deputy in the patrol division? What is the year, make, model and mileage of that vehicle? Did anyone note the Unit Number on it?
How many vehicles are assigned for the Sheriff's use? That squad car? A white Chevrolet Tahoe? Any other Department-owned vehicle? Any snowmobiles?
