The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved spending $349,736 for eight new patrol vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office.

The 2017 Ford Explorers will replace high-mileage units in the current fleet, according to county staff.

Wade Ford submitted the lowest offer of three dealers — $225,072 — for the eight vehicles. The county will spend an additional $124,664 outfitting them with graphics, lights, push bumpers, camera systems and computer tablets.

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)