Production shortage prompts Duluth to purchase 10 police vehicles

Duluth purchases police vehicles each year using SPLOST public safety funds. Currently, the annual allocation is $540,000, used in three installments of $180,000 to spread out the vehicle and equipment purchase over the fiscal year.

According to Duluth Assistant City Manager Ken Sakmar, car makers are beginning to cut production due to a chip production shortage while semiconductor makers continue to recover from the pandemic.

The Duluth police department has located 10 police vehicles they want to purchase before production cuts limit the availability of new police vehicles.

As a result, the Duluth City Council has approved $338,000 in 2017 SPLOST Public Safety funds for the police vehicles capital project fund.

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Karen Huppertz for the AJC

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