TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Greg Ruddy, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT:
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Approve the Purchase of Miscellaneous Upfit for 2025 Police Squad Vehicles
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BACKGROUND:
The purchase of replacement squad vehicles for the Joliet Police Department was included as part of the approved 2025 budget. The actual vehicles and support electronics/light packages were approved for purchase in Council memo #169-25 on March 4, 2025. This memo requests the authority to continue the upfit process with branding of the units and installation of ISPERN (Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network) radios.
The Public Service Committee will review this matter.
CONCLUSION:
The City approved JPD Squad branding was designed by Element Graphics & Design located in Mokena. This vendor has supplied our police graphics for numerous years and has provided the City with outstanding service and products. Additionally, Element Graphics & Design holds the rights to their proprietary designs so remain the vendor of choice for these units. The total proposal to provide graphics/branding for the twenty (20) Ford Explorers is $17,741.96.
Additionally, the City has installed Kenwood brand ISPERN radios in all new patrol units for the last four (4) iterations of new vehicle purchases. The City can receive national pricing from A-Beep Communications on communication equipment via the NASPO Alliance (National Association of State Procurement Officials). Additionally, these radios are consistent with what is installed in the prior builds for the City Police units, providing consistency across our platform. The total proposed purchase price plus programming of these units is $34,402.13.
Finally in 2021, the City moved from a vehicle wrap that yellowed and peeled with time to painting the lower door skins factory white underneath then Joliet Police logo. This process has improved the appearance, lessened the delay during repairs, and allowed certain work to be completed in-house. Numerous local body shops were contacted to provide proposals to complete this work, with the results summarized below:
o Hawk Auto: $1,850.00 per unit for 20 units = $37,000.00
o Rendel’s, Inc.: $2,256.00 per unit for 20 units = $45,120.00
o Gerber Collision & Glass: No quote
o Greg’s Body Shop: No quote
Section 2-438 of the City of Joliet Code of Ordinances states that purchases over $25,000.00 may be awarded without written specifications or bidding under certain circumstances. One of these circumstances applies:
(f) Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Mayor and City Council
Sufficient funds are available for this purchase request in the 2025 Police Vehicle Replacement Capital Improvement Fund (Org 30060020, Object 557500, $89,144.09).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council take the following actions:
1. Approve the installation of branding/logos from Element Graphics & Design in the amount of $17,741.96.
2. Approve the purchase of Kenwood brand ISPERN radios from A-Beep Communications in the amount of $34,402.13.
3. Approve the purchase of painting services from Hawk Auto in the amount of $37,000.00.
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