To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Tyler S. Brown, Sheriff
Prepared By:
prepared
Tammy Townsell-Twombly, Lieutenant, Patrol Administration
end
presenter
Presenter: Tammy Townsell-Twombly, Lieutenant, Patrol Administration
end
Subject:
title
4:00 PM *Requested Changes to Emergency Vehicle Upfitting
end
Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this meeting is to present a new emergency vehicle upfitter and Defender Supply. If the Board is supportive of this change, this item would move forward to the next available consent agenda.
end
Background and Discussion: Due to recurrent supply chain issues, staffing challenges for local upfitting companies, and overall changes to the upfitting industry and automotive manufacturers post-COVID, the ACSO’s traditional process of acquiring, equipping, and deploying emergency vehicles is no longer efficient or effective. The limited number of local upfitting companies have waiting lists of up to two years.
As of January 2025, we have a significant backlog of 34 vehicles in our possession waiting to be equipped (some of which date back to 2022). This backlog will be compounded by the impending order of 25 more emergency vehicles for the 2025 budget. Going forward in 2025, we request BoCC approval to add an additional upfitting model to our vehicle replacement process. The new model would use a “ship-thru” upfitter, an out-of-state upfitting company near the automotive manufacturing plant. The vehicle and equipment would be ordered simultaneously through the auto manufacturer. The auto manufacturer would ship the vehicle directly to the upfitter for equipment installation (instead of to the Arapahoe County Fleet as happens under the current process). Once equipped, the vehicle would be delivered to Arapahoe County in a “turn-key” condition, ready for deployment. The “ship-thru” model provides a much quicker turn-around with build times averaging 90 to 120 days from the manufacturer’s delivery date to the upfitter. We believe the slightly higher cost of this method (approximately $1,500 per vehicle) would be offset by the holding costs created by having unused vehicles on a waiting list (such as costs for repairs caused by rodents and lack of use, expired vehicle warranties, and the extensive vehicle maintenance costs of retaining old cars until the new cars are deployed).
To mitigate the existing vehicle backlog, we also seek the BoCC’s approval to send eight patrol vehicles currently in our possession back through a “ship-thru” upfitter for equipment installation. Defender Supply (Argyle, TX) indicated they can immediately work our eight vehicles into their build schedule with a turn-around time of approximately 4 months. The cost difference between Defender and our local companies’ patrol car quotes is roughly $500. Since Defender does not have our decal files, we would need to apply graphics locally (less than $1,000 per vehicle). Shipping the vehicles back to Texas costs approximately $1,250 per round-trip vehicle.
Currently, ACSO has contracts with three local upfitting vendors: First Armored Services (FAS), BearCom, and Recreational Electric. These vendors have significant waiting lists ranging from one to two years (or more). In total, there are only five vehicle upfitting companies in the State of Colorado, and due to geography, these upfitters serve multiple western states with no local upfitters. Beyond having too few companies in the region, all of these companies give the same reasons for the extensive waiting lists: equipment availability and difficulty finding and retaining qualified employees. Under the current model, the vehicles would be ordered directly from the manufacturer and delivered to Arapahoe County before upfitting. A purchase order would be issued to one of our three upfitting companies, and the emergency equipment would be ordered. Once the equipment is received (which can take anywhere from 8 weeks to 6 months, depending on the supply chain), the vehicle would be scheduled for build by the upfitter based on the company’s capabilities (demand, staffing, and output capacity), which can cause a significant delay in the completion of the vehicle. Under the new model, the vehicle and upfitting would be ordered simultaneously on the same purchase order since the “ship-thru” companies work directly with the auto manufacturers. Therefore, the upfitting company would order the equipment immediately to have on hand upon delivery of the vehicle from the plant, significantly reducing the build time.
Fiscal Impact: The new model would cost an additional $1,500 per vehicle for the 2025 vehicles ordered using a “ship-thru” upfitter. We anticipate ordering at least 27 vehicles in 2025 for approximately $40,500. To reduce the backlog of vehicles awaiting upfitting, the new model would cost an additional $1,500 per vehicle, plus $1,250 shipping. For eight vehicles, the total additional cost would be $22,000.
Alternatives: If we maintain the current process without change, the fiscal impact will remain the same in all respects. Due to its inefficiency and unpredictability, the emergency vehicle replacement process will remain frustrating for all Arapahoe County staff involved. Leasing pre-built emergency vehicles through auto manufacturers or other leasing companies can be a viable alternative, as they would provide pre-equipped emergency vehicles on demand. However, we would lose the ability to customize or alter our vehicles as necessary. In addition, we would have to abide by the rules typical of auto leases (condition, mileage, etc). Entering into a lease program would also require significant changes to Arapahoe County processes and policies. In-house installation of emergency equipment is a potentially viable solution. However, the space, equipment, training, and FTEs would present a significant upfront cost to Fleet Management. Implementing a program like this would be a years-long process, offering no immediate solutions.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☐Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☐Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: The Sheriff’s Office recommends adopting the new upfitter, Defender Supply.
Concurrence: The Sheriff’s Office, Fleet & Facilities, and Purchasing have worked on this issue together and agree that moving to the “ship-thru” model is the best option to move forward and reduce the current backlog of vehicles.