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Sep 24, 2023

Perry police showcasing new cargo trailer

PERRY — The Perry Police Department has a 7-by-12-foot cargo trailer to bring

PERRY — The Perry Police Department has a 7-by-12-foot cargo trailer to bring with it to community events, thanks to help from the county and a York business.

Some in the community have already seen the trailer, as it made an appearance during the Oct. 27 Perry Elementary School Pumpkin Walk event.

"We’re putting all our car seats in it. We do the car seat program ... We like to do it a couple of times a year. We just did one at the school," said Police Chief Michael Grover. "We have our bicycles, our bike patrol. We’ll store our bikes in there. The community event at the school worked out perfect for that."

The trailer stores all of the gear and equipment officers need to work at events throughout the community. It has the Perry Police Department patch and an image of Daren the D.A.R.E. lion. The design concept by School Resource Officer Matt Masci was brought to life by the creative team at VSP Graphic Group, Emergency Decals.

"The DA's office funded the trailer and its repair costs. The retail cost of that trailer would have been $4,500 if we had paid the cost for that," Masci said. "They only charged us the repair costs of $1,500 and that was funded through the Traffic Diversion Program, which is through the DA's office."

Davis Trailer World of York offered the department the trailer at the cost of only repairs, which were about $1,500, as it was a trade-in from a one-time owner. Police said District Attorney Donald O’Geen stepped in with funding from the Wyoming County Traffic Diversion program to cover that expense, Grover said.

"We’re so fortunate that we have great support from not only the DA's Office, but our community at large," he said. Grover extended his appreciation to Davis Trailer World as well.

Masci said the trailer had one previous owner, a construction contractor.

"They just needed to replace some of the woodwork, some electrical stuff that was hanging around," he said of the repairs. "The trailer itself was in good shape."

On the department's Facebook page, police said that with growing community programming comes the need for creative storage and transportation solutions.

"While the department has tried to secure money for the last several years for this, funding has been scarce in the current economy," they said.

Police will probably bring the trailer to the annual Stuff the Cruiser event, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at Walmart, 2348 Route 19 North in Warsaw. Officers will collect unwrapped toys, games, winter clothes and other items from shoppers who were willing to donate them to needy children.

"It's our third annual (event). We partner with Community Action," Grover said. "Try to step out, support a good cause. We’ll take whatever we can get."

Masci said Perry is coordinating Stuff the Cruiser and Arcade and Attica police, the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police out of Warsaw will help as well.

"We stuff at least one car from every agency and in partnership with Community Acton. — for families that are in need," he said.

Johnson Newspapers 7.1