New terrain vehicle provides EL police greater access in crowds
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EAST LIVERPOOL -- Describing the newest addition to the city police department's fleet as a "golf cart" appears to be somewhat of an oversimplification.
Many residents, including East Liverpool Mayor Greg Bricker, said that they have yet to see the vehicle, which was purchased last year. However, upon contact, Police Chief John Lane was more than happy to share the department's elusive unicorn of sorts: an American LandStar Crew Cab Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) purchased to allow officers to respond even in East Liverpool's hilly terrain.
He explained for years that the department had to borrow everyone else's golf carts, which often didn't have the stamina to do what they demanded of it.
According to online descriptions of the vehicle, this model can carry up to six passengers on any terrain at speeds up to 24 mph.
Part of the police department's duties for years has included patrolling the city's events like Oktoberfest in Thompson Park and the BBQ Festival in downtown, which often finds officers attempting to manuever safely through the city's crowds. In other departments' statewide, it is not unusual for police to use mounted units and bicycle units to do this; however, in East Liverpool, police also mark the rolling hills, beautiful riverside and crumbling infrastructure as additional challenges.
Thus Chief Lane took $10,244.90 of the department's traffic camera money and reinvested it back in something practical that wasn't payroll.
While golf carts are usually built for hauling a couple occupants and their golf equipment from one tee to the next, UTVs have the greater horsepower needed for East Liverpool, where police officers find themselves often offering elderly folks a ride from the bottom of a hill to the top like in the case for the Oktoberfest, or responding in the case of an emergency.,
"It was something we needed, and it is used for moving people" as part of the department's public outreach efforts, Chief Lane adds.
The UTV currently is housed at First Class Towing indoors fee-free, where it is awaiting both decaling and the light bar.
This does not mean that John Q. Public, especially if he is not old enough to have a driver's license, can operate his All-Terrain Vehicle or golf cart legally under state law. However, for more information on making them street legal, see section 4519 of the Ohio Revised Code or contact your local police department for guidance.