Indiana Township lands 2 new police SUVs through state grant

Indiana Township police log a lot of miles patrolling the 17-square-mile community.

With the addition of three full-time officers this year, for a total of 13, Chief Steve Colucci said police are on the road a lot and “the miles add up.”

One of the department’s SUVs racked up 120,000 in just more than three years, he said.

On Thursday, the department got a boost in the form of two new Ford Explorers that will help increase safety — without drawing from township coffers.

The vehicles were purchased with an $83,000 grant secured with help from state Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, from the Department of Community and Economic Development.

“Well-resourced first responders are foundational to strong communities,” Steele said.

“Chief Colucci and his team do an excellent job in Indiana Township, and I’m happy to fight to bring funding home to them.”

Colucci said one of the SUVs replaced a vehicle with high miles; the other is an addition to the force to help rotate those in use.

He said the savings benefits the department two-fold.

“Not only did we get the new vehicles, but it’s a lot of money to help us in the budget moving forward,” Colucci said.

“We can put that toward manpower.”