The Damariscotta Police Dept. is replacing its 2006 Dodge Charger with a 2012 Ram 1500.
The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the purchase at its Dec. 21 meeting.
The purchase fulfills Police Chief Chad Andrews’ goal of acquiring a four-wheel drive vehicle for use “during inclement winter weather” and to access areas inaccessible to standard cruisers.
Damariscotta will buy the truck from Newcastle Chrysler for $23,893. The dealership has offered $3500 as a trade-in value for the Charger, lowering the cost to $20,393. The town will have to spend an additional $4000 to fully outfit the vehicle, Andrews said.
The $26,500 balance of the police vehicle reserve account will absorb the purchase with room to spare.
Andrews expects to take delivery within 60 days and to letter and outfit the vehicle in “a couple weeks” before it’s ready for service.
The vehicle, according to Newcastle Chrysler, boasts a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission and comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile power train warranty.
The truck’s MDS (Multi-Displacement System) limits fuel delivery and improves gas mileage, resulting in efficiency “comparable” to the department’s existing cruisers, Andrews said.
Damariscotta’s newest cruiser also comes with a “special service” or police package, including a 220-amp alternator, 100,000-mile sparkplugs and a larger oil cooler as well as an interior modified to accommodate all devices standard in a modern cruiser.
The department will have a “no-chase” policy for the truck, Andrews said.
