Powder Springs to Sell Police Motorcycles for New Car

Powder Springs is set to trade in its two police motorcycles for a Dodge Charger, continuing the cycle of getting high-mileage cars out of the force and bringing fresh ones in.

Aiken Ford in Winder offered a trade-in value of $16,000 for the Harley Davidsons, down from $20,000 officials had hoped for. They were originally purchased for about $12,000 each and eventually were just “sitting collecting dust," Police Chief Charlie Sewell said last year.

“All they were being used for was to transport two officers home and back to work," he said. "The other employees didn’t have the benefit of a car to drive home and the city gas, so I didn’t think it was fair to all the other employees." 

Among other reasons, the motorcycles weren't used to patrol because suspects can't be transported in them, and they don't provide the safety of a car while writing tickets and doing computer work.

In September 2011, the council approved, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"soaring-permit-fee-baffles-homeowner"} --> the motorcycles—along with  of four other police Dodge Chargers will split the difference from the trade-in value for the new one. Some equipment for it will be purchased through the