The Onondaga County Sheriff is trying to keep his deputies in newer cars while saving the taxpayers money. Earlier this month, Sheriff Toby Shelley told WAER News that he supports the county executive’s budget allocation to purchase a new helicopter. For vehicles on the ground, Shelley said he’s taking a different approach to how the cars are used.
“I can't get around the 4.1 million miles it takes to our mission,” he said. “What I can do is spread those miles out on more cars, and that's what I've done. You see cars parked. Well, that's because, in my day, I had to wait for you to get off shift for me to jump in your car. And these cars just went around the clock like that. We're not doing that anymore.”
Shelley was a deputy in the 1990’s and knows firsthand that constant use takes a toll. Even recently, he said vehicles are breaking down as deputies respond to emergencies, and they’re spending too much money and time on maintenance. Plus, Shelley said, they have little value when they’re turned in.
“Right now, when we're trading our cars in, they're beat to death,” he said. “They have almost 200,000 miles on them. I'm lucky to get $3,000 at auction. Or if I trade them in at 70,000 to 80,000, I'm more likely to get 18,000 to $20,000 per car.”
Shelley said fewer miles make the fleet more reliable. The county executive proposed $300,000 in flexible spending in the sheriff’s budget. Shelley said if the legislature agrees, he’ll likely purchase more vehicles. Lawmakers meet September 26 for a final review of the budget before voting October 14th.
