Hebron’s scaled-back police force has a new chief. Now it’s trying to assemble 4 working squad cars.

The Hebron Police Department needs four working squad cars for its police department, a number that should remain the same once the department has more officers, the new top cop said Monday night.

Right now, Hebron’s police department includes Chief Peter Goldman, sworn in on Nov. 13; a sergeant; a part-time officer who works one Sunday a month; and one community service officer. Prior to 2021, Hebron had at least 14 part- and full-time police officers. That number was cut following the election of Village President Robert Shelton, who campaigned on a platform of cutting the department’s budget and size.

“I think we are understaffed,” Goldman told the council. “Four cars in the fleet is the perfect number to have for the staffing numbers we are working with,” he said, adding he has begun putting out feelers to hire more part-time staff.

“We are taking applications. It takes time to get through that process,” Goldman said.

While four vehicles is the right number for him, one of the department’s vehicles, a 2016 Ford Explorer with more than 100,000 miles, has been sitting at a Ford dealership since “prior to my employment at the village,” Goldman said. That squad car has an estimated $8,000 repair bill.

Another department vehicle, a 2013 Ford Explorer with 163,000 miles is running but “is degrading, with rust and rot showing,” Goldman said.

But according to village Treasurer Katherine Andrus, the older vehicle has had the least need for maintenance over the years, and the 2016 Explorer will need some of the same work on it that has already been completed once.

The village board debated whether it should be spending nearly $8,000 to repair the 2016 squad car, whether the 2013 vehicle should be replaced first, and if leasing squad cars – either new or used – might be a better use of village funds.

According to the Ford dealership, the 2016 vehicle needs front and rear brakes, control arm replacement and camshaft phasers.

“I think we are understaffed.”

—  Hebron Chief of Police Peter Goldman

This is not the first time the village has debated how to solve its vehicle needs, Trustee Dawn Mikarski said, adding the suggestion of leasing police cars has been brought up before.

A lease may be a solution to replace the 2016 squad car, but “we need to think about” the older vehicle, Goldman said.

There is $15,000 in the police department budget for squad cars, Andrus said, adding that both Explorers were sold there may be enough to cover leases.

Trustee Mark Mogan asked to see a breakdown of recent repair costs for both of the Explorers in a future meeting.

“If it is equivalent to a lease, I would rather have a lease,” Mogan said.

Any vote on whether to pursue leases or the repairs was put on hold until at least the next board meeting, set for Dec. 23.