Streator police department to acquire new squad car

The Streator Police Department will be adding a new squad car to the force.

The department requested and received unanimous authorization from the Streator City Council on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief Robert Wood on Wednesday explained the department’s plan to replace its Ford Taurus in exchange for a brand-new 2025 Ford Explorer.

The purchase was made from Morrow Brothers Ford of Greenfield through a state of Illinois bid. The squad car will cost $56,292. This doesn’t account, however, for the trade-in value of the Taurus.

Wood said the department budgeted for the addition of one squad car.

The decision to swap the vehicles was driven by the size of the Taurus, as it’s difficult for officers to use as a practical patrol vehicle, resulting in it rarely being used during normal patrol functions.

The police department has eight total squad cars, seven of which are used on patrol and one that specifically is used for a K-9 unit. The addition of this new squad car would give the department flexibility to convert one of its older explorers into another K-9 vehicle. In previous years, this conversion has extended a squad vehicle’s life by potentially five to six years, according to a memo from the Streator Police Department.

With the addition, the department would have eight usable squad vehicles – six for patrol and two K-9 units.

“We feel that this number is adequate for our officers’ usage, as it will allow us to have squads on hand in case one is inevitably down for repairs,” Wood said in a memo to the council.