For 34 full-time officers, the Forest Park Police Department has 13 patrol cars, five cars for detectives, two administrative vehicles, one drivable parking enforcement car, two motorcycles and an ATV. But many of the frequently used vehicles are outliving their lifespan, according to Police Chief Ken Gross. One of the cars is a 2011 vehicle, two are 2015, and one is 2017.
To address the police department’s aging fleet, Gross met with Enterprise Rent-A-Car Sept. 17 to discuss the car rental business leasing government vehicles as a potential cost-saving measure for the village.
“The lease would allow for a circulation of cars, so you don’t have 10-year-old cars in the fleet. If you have newer cars, there’s in theory fewer repairs and better gas mileage,” Gross said. “And we would have a newer fleet, which I think is a human resource positive. Our officers would have newer cars, which again, in theory, makes them happier.”
If Enterprise leases vehicles to the police department, it would likely be for four- or five-year time spans. Enterprise could also lease the village vehicles for the fire, public works or building departments, all of which would come pre-upfitted with department-specific modifications.
“My hope, if we did go forth with it, would be to start little with the police department and, if it works out well, maybe expand it to the other departments,” Gross said. “I think, if we were going to do it, it would be for fiscal year 26-27,” which is May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The lease agreement would have to be approved by the village council.
Gross said he’s gotten emails from Enterprise about such vehicle leasing options. He added that one of the department’s sergeants took a management class where they completed a study on the efficacy of leasing cars instead of buying them.
“I think it’s a good option, but I have to dig a little deeper to make sure it is,” Gross said.