A Michigan sheriff’s department has introduced a 1981 Chevrolet Camaro as its new patrol vehicle after using money from a cartel raid to fund the vehicle.
Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel revealed this week that his department had funded the muscle car with a drug forfeiture fund.
The fund is made up of cash taken from drug traffickers; his team assisted on a case involving a Mexican cartel smuggling cocaine into Saginaw County.
In total, the car cost $29,000 and was purchased from an online auction house, before the workshop teams dressed it up as a classic patrol car.
Federspiel told WNEM that the vehicle would be used as a real reminder to drug dealers.
The vehicle was purchased with around 50,000 miles and will be used as a traditional patrol vehicle.
Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel revealed this week that his department had funded the muscle car with a drug forfeiture fund.
He told the outlet: “I’m not afraid to let drug dealers know that I’m going to come after them if they want to continue doing that type of work here in Saginaw County. We will not tolerate it.”
The vehicle was purchased with around 50,000 miles and will be used as a traditional patrol vehicle.
While the back seats don’t have much room to accommodate detained people, he said he would put people in the passenger seat.
Talking with MLiveHe added that he had wanted to wait to unveil the vehicle in November while he campaigned to retain his title of sheriff.
However, he was quick to remove the vehicle to avoid making it look like an election-time publicity stunt.
Images of the Camaro under construction had been used in campaign material by opponents who claimed the money was taxpayer money.
He added: “Not a single cent of taxpayer money has gone into this vehicle or anything that goes with it. It all comes from funds confiscated from drugs.
While the back seats don’t have much room to accommodate detained people, he said he would put people in the passenger seat.
Images of the Camaro under construction had been used in campaign material by opponents who claimed the money was taxpayer money.
The Camaro represents the latest in a line of vehicles the department has purchased using the drug fund.
In 2010, they added a Ford Mustang GT to their fleet that they confiscated from a local drug dealer. The car’s door read: “Taken from a local drug dealer.”
Then a 2003 Cadillac CTS received similar treatment after it was also impounded, with a sticker reading, “Taken from a cocaine dealer.”
The most recent vehicle the drug money was used on was a customized 1967 Ford Galaxie 500, which has since been sold.