Vigo County Sheriff requests $25,000 to buy used 2023 Chevy Tahoe with canine gear

Derek Fell, Vigo County Sheriff, asked the county council for a $25,000 appropriation to purchase a used 2023 Chevy Tahoe that became available after a neighboring police department reduced its force.

Fell said the vehicle had approximately 45,000 miles and would come with law-enforcement and canine equipment. He reported that records showed a 2023 purchase price of about $47,000 and that his office's inspection and equipment valuation placed the total value between about $60,000 and $63,000. "The Westville Police Department has agreed to sell to us for 30,000. So that additional 5,000 we would cover out of our commissary account," Fell said.

Transcript note on seller identification: in his remarks Fell first referenced a neighboring agency reducing its force as the source of the vehicle and later identified the seller as the Westville Police Department; the transcript also refers earlier to West Terre Haute when describing reduced force. The record does not reconcile the two names.

Council questions focused on the vehicle's status and the accounting for the additional $5,000, which the Sheriff said would come from the commissary account. The transcript records the request and council questions but does not show a final vote or appropriation decision during this meeting.