By Heather Fabritze
Student Life Editor
The Department of Public Safety transitioned out their older patrol vehicles over break for a fleet of updated, more environmentally friendly models.
According to Director of Public Safety Pamela Hoffmann, the previous patrol fleet required “substantial repairs” in order to continue use. The cost to maintain and update the older models would have been higher than the price of trading the vehicles in, and so the department made the decision to lease two new cars.
Past leases for Public Safety transportation did not fall under Washington College’s established program. Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Thad Moore and Executive Assistant to Vice President of Student Affairs, Office Manager, and Transportation Manager Jennifer Schultz worked with the department, though, to lease the two new vehicles through the campus program.
Both of the patrol cars are electric-powered. While Hoffmann said that their improved environmental benefits were simply an “additional perk” to an already necessary decision, there is still excitement among student leadership over setting an environmentally friendly precedent.
Student Government Association Secretary of the Environment senior Keven Denice said that the new vehicles help with decreasing air pollution and improving Kent County’s environment overall.
Chestertown’s infrastructure is also growing toward increased accessibility regarding electric transportation, with 8 charging stations scattered across the town, according to Charge Hub.
Denice said that transitioning the Public Safety fleet, some of the most-used campus vehicles, would hopefully expand the presence of electric vehicles on campus.
“Hopefully adopting these also shows people in the town, the people who work here, that it’s feasible to have them,” Denice said. “So hopefully we can also cause more people to adopt them.”
The cars, which are currently unmarked, will be receiving their official Public Safety labeling in early March.
Photo by Sophie Foster
Photo Caption: The new Public Safety vehicles do not yet have the signature Public Safety labels on their side.