VPD Fleet Grows Without a Dime from Taxpayers

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Every Vidalia Police Department officer will now have their own patrol vehicle to drive home, as the department received 11 patrol vehicles from a recent donation.

According to Vidalia Police Chief James Jermon, these new vehicles are an answered prayer, as he has been seeking a way to provide all of the officers with their own patrol vehicle to take home. “It was a godsend. Everyone has heard that God works in mysterious ways – well, this was one of those ways where God definitely intervened and answered my prayers, because I was hoping to get all of our officers in takehome cars. Plus, these cars will be good for at least three years, and will give us time to rotate oth- continued from page

er cars,” he explained. Jermon said that he learned of this opportunity to receive the cars from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in Florida through ex-police chief Brian Scott, who helped to set up the exchange. “A lot of credit goes to him for that,” Jermon emphasized.

Within the next 30 days, these 11 vehicles – six Ford Explorers and five Chevrolet Caprices, will be outfitted for the department and will be ready to hit the road.

“These cars were donated. They didn’t cost the citizens of Vidalia a dime. There is some equipment that we need to add to it, but it will be just striping, our in-car cameras, and radios – that’s it,” Jermon remarked. “We are definitely blessed, and I appreciate all the parties that were involved – Sheriff [Michael] Adkinson of Walton County Sheriff’s Office; Wally Willoughby of Walton County Sheriff’s Office Fleet Maintenance Department; Brian Scott; and all my guys that took the day a few weeks ago to drive down and get all the vehicles.”