BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Birmingham police are asking the City Council to approve funding for 200 new vehicles over the next 2-3 years.
Deputy Police Chief Ray Tubbs says nearly half of the department's vehicles have racked up over 100,000 miles and many are due to be replaced.
"We have to make do with equipment and that's unfortunate because we hadn't gotten vehicles no vehicles had been purchased for us in two years. And when you run a 24 hour operation it's just difficult to operate that way," Tubbs pointed out.
Task Force officer Sarafino Lovetto has worked with Birmingham police for the last nine years.
When we interviewed him he was driving a loaner vehicle because the engine in his unit went out while he was pursuing and armed burglary suspect.
"We were chasing them down Avenue O and before another car could catch up with us or get near us our car made a loud grinding sound and we just coasted it to a stop and watched a burglary suspect drive off," Lovetto remembered.
The department is requesting 140 new marked units, 50 unmarked cars and 10 utility vehicles.
Tubbs they are considering the option of leasing the vehicles if that will save the taxpayer money.
The idea of new vehicles is welcome news to Officer Lovetto, who says it could work wonders for officer morale.
"Probably boost it a lot because you don't have to ride around in a raggedy car that you're just about embarrassed to drive," Lovetto concluded.
Only hours after our interview with Lovetto the engine in the loaner car he was driving also went out while he was transporting a suspect.
He claimed he had to coast the car the final few blocks to get back to the precinct.
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