
Deming Police Chief Brandon Gigante said the department has spent up to $250,000 to purchase and fully equip the new vehicles.
Gigante said this is the second fiscal year in a row for the department to purchase six new vehicles because the fleet had become aged and unsafe.
He said they are retiring vehicles from the early 2000s with high mileage and increased mechanical issues that made them no longer reliable.
Gigante said the department regularly looks at the value of each patrol unit and the maintenance costs, and typically retires three to five vehicles a year.
Three of the new Explorers were on the streets March 31st, and the other three should be seen patrolling by April 8th.