The city is purchasing 17 motorcycles for police using $291,115 in forfeiture funds, according to municipal records.
Police will receive the 2018 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles model FLHTP sometime this year from Hannum’s Harley-Davidson of Rahway. Police director Jerry Speziale said he is still working on getting the paperwork together to use forfeiture funds.
“It’s a win-win. You are using drug funds. You are getting new motorcycles every three years and you are reducing their maintenance cost for taxpayers. It’s a double saving,” said Speziale.
The city council was expected to approve the purchase last week. However, the finance director needed proof of funds from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office which controls law enforcement forfeiture money prior to certifying the resolution.
Speziale said the Passaic County freeholders also have to pass a parallel resolution.
The actual cost for the 17 motorcycles is $363,115. The city is trading in 9 of its 2013 motorcycles for $72,000. This brings down the total cost to $291,115.
Four firms picked up bid packages. However, only two of them submitted bids.
The other bidder was Bergen County Harley-Davidson of Rochelle Park which bid $411,077 for the 17 motorcycles. It offered a higher, $81,900, trade-in. Its final price was $329,117, or $38,000 higher than Hannum.
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