Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy exits a Smart car that the city police department bought at a deep discount. As a test, it will be used to patrol the Hudson Mall. As longas he keeps the FIRE DEPARTMENT out of his sites. Good for routine duty? Sure. Good for fire/emergency service: negative.
The Smart Fortwo is a smart choice for the Jersey City Police Department, officials said yesterday as they unveiled the miniature auto at the Reservoir fire station in the Heights…just keep it OUT of the fire station! The three-cylinder car, made by Mercedes-Benz, gets up to 48 miles per gallon using regular gasoline, Police Chief Tom Comey said.
"We have to start thinking differently" to make police operations more "green," he said, adding that the department is also considering electric cars.
The Jersey City Police Foundation bought the car for $14,800 – a discount offered by Ray Catena of Edison from the normal price of $20,000 – and donated it to the department.
Mike Ryan, chairman of the private foundation, said the group’s goal when it was formed three years ago was to bring back the city’s mounted police.
"In lieu of horses, we’re giving them horsepower," Ryan said.
The car will first go to the West District for patrols at Hudson Mall, Comey said, and the department will evaluate its performance in a few months to determine if more should be added. It could eventually replace the city’s fleet of three-wheel interceptors, which cost about $30,000 apiece, he said.
Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy took the fuel-efficient car for a brief spin and said he’s pleased it was purchased at no cost to the city.
"Obviously this is a big saver for the Police Department and the taxpayers," he said.
