V.I. Port Authority enforcement officers will soon be driving around airports and seaports in former Police Department vehicles, the Port Authority announced in a Tuesday press release.
The agency will receive a dozen refurbished GMC Envoy SUVs at a ceremony Wednesday. It will be held at 10 a.m. near the turnstile area of Cyril E. King Airport.
"We want the community to witness this exchange to let the people of the Virgin Islands know that the V.I. government has maximized on the use of its older police vehicles by refurbishing and donating them for use by other government agencies," Port Authority Director Kenn Hobson said in a press release.
The vehicles went from Police Department ownership to the Port Authority via the Property and Procurement Department.
According to the press release, Property and Procurement refurbished the vehicles in-house. Each vehicle was overhauled to “like new” condition with brand new parts, a fresh coat of paint and striped according to police code. In addition, each SUV is equipped with new police radios valued at $1,200 each. The value of each car at its refurbished condition is about $32,000.
Hobson said six of the vehicles will be used on St. Thomas/St. John and six will be used on St. Croix.
