Some residents may have noticed the newest member of the Crookston Police Department’s fleet, a 2023 Ford F150, on patrol in town. It is an eye-catcher, for sure, and it is a different model of vehicle than we are used to seeing. Why is the fleet’s newest vehicle a pick-up? “You will see the new pickup driving around. We just got it outfitted a couple of weeks ago,” says Deputy Chief Nathan Nelson. “It actually is a 2023 purchase that was budgeted that year, but due to COVID, we had trouble getting squad cars with delays, parts, manufacturing, and different things with Ford.”
When they were ordering, Nelson said they were having issues getting an Explorer, so he decided to go with a pick-up. “It’s actually been a good addition to our fleet,” says Nelson. We use it to pick up abandoned properties on the roadways, bikes, and different things. It’s nice having the box.”
Nelson says all officers have had a chance to use the pick-up, but most still choose the explorers, mainly because they can turn around quicker if they are in a hurry to get somewhere. So, watch for the new Crookston Police Department’s fleet member, it will be hard to miss.
