WEDNESDAY, September 30, 2026|
Photo – Saratoga Police patch – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Saratoga Town Council denied a request to purchase a new police vehicle.
During the September 15th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Police Chief John Moore presented a $47,000 quote for a 2026 Ford F‑150 from a Denver, Colorado dealership. Chief Moore said his department is down one vehicle, with another kept running through continuous maintenance by Lieutenant Mike Morris.
In addition, Chief Moore said another police department expressed interest in the run-down Ford Explorer outfitted for K-9 use. The chief said he was considering selling that vehicle to the unnamed department, along with another in better condition, to combine them into one functional K‑9 unit.
Mayor Chuck Davis said he was unsure if the town could legally sell the vehicles to the other police department, as doing so may violate the state’s bidding policies. Chief Moore said the discussions were very early and contingent on attorney review.
Next, Chief Moore announced that former Crook County deputy sheriff Troy Skeens was ready for duty. However, with the department short so many vehicles, he said Skeens would need to use the unit traditionally assigned to part‑time officers, leaving those officers without a vehicle.
Because of those vehicle‑shortage concerns, Chief Moore said he obtained a quote for the 2026 Ford F-150 and asked the Town Council to approve the purchase.
Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked if the F-150 would come prepared for police use, with lights, sirens, and prisoner cage. Chief Moore said upfitting the truck would cost an additional $26,658.04, bringing the total price to $73,657.04.
Councilman Joe Parrie asked about the vehicle with the faulty blower motor. Chief Moore explained that the SUV came secondhand from another law enforcement agency.
Chief Moore said he has another 2016 Ford Explorer with significantly fewer miles, but no police‑vehicle equipment package. Councilman Parrie asked why the gear from the run‑down Explorer couldn’t be installed in the more reliable unit. The police chief said it is a K‑9‑equipped vehicle. His department lacks a K‑9 officer, while the other agency is in need of such a unit.
Responding to Mayor Chuck Davis’s question about the cost of a prisoner cage, Chief Moore estimated they run between $8,000 and $10,000.
Councilman Bub Barkhurst noted that the Saratoga Police Department has six functional vehicles and one unreliable unit for its five full‑time officers. Part‑time staff share a single vehicle.
Chief Moore said he was following a plan to replace his department’s vehicles after eight years to preserve resale value.
Councilman Barkhurst said he wasn’t comfortable purchasing a new Ford vehicle because it would need to be taken to Laramie for service, adding that Dodge and Chevy models can be serviced at dealerships in Rawlins. The councilman said he would prefer the police chief install a prisoner cage in the lower‑mileage Ford Explorer rather than purchase an entirely new vehicle.
With six officers and six reliable vehicles, plus one in questionable shape, the Saratoga Town Council voted not to purchase the 2026 Ford F‑150 at this time. Instead, the governing body instructed Police Chief John Moore to obtain a quote to install a prisoner cage in the existing lower‑mileage Ford Explorer.
