The Illinois State Police has 1,067 cruisers overdue for replacement, and Illinois State Police Director Brenden Kelly told a Senate appropriations committee current funding would stretch fleet turnover to about 18 years.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services recommends replacing vehicles every eight years or 150,000 miles, but the State Police Vehicle Fund has been underfunded. Lawmakers have appropriated $30 million annually since 2024, yet revenue from a $1 license plate fee and retired-car sales typically totals $11–12 million and fell to $7 million last year, while a fully outfitted cruiser costs about $120,000.
Kansas Highway Patrol maintains a 50,000-mile retirement policy that yields newer resale cars and fewer maintenance costs, and many early-retirement cruisers are sold to other departments with equipment included. That approach preserves warranty coverage and reduces expensive late-life repairs.
Kelly said the agency does not expect a permanent legislative fix and will "piecemeal" seek funding sources to replace overdue cruisers while managing rising vehicle costs.
Read the full article at jalopnik.com.
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