The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office recently deployed seven brand new Dodge Chargers to patrol the streets of Rockdale County.

The new Chargers, equipped with the latest mobile data terminal computers and in-car cameras, were issued to the RCSO Task Force Unit. The RCSO Task Force Unit serves a critical function in making the county safe and is the RCSO's primary unit that is sent in as rapid deployment to crime hot spots and disorder. In addition, the Task Force Unit is tasked with crime suppression, traffic enforcement, high target fugitive apprehension, high risk transports, and many of its members serve on the RCSO Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT).

"I want to thank the board of commissioners for their support in working with me to get the deputies the vehicles they can depend on in order to make our county safe," said Sheriff Eric J. Levett. "These new Dodge Chargers are the first of many newer patrol units that will be placed in service over the next several months. The new patrol vehicles will be replacing older Ford Crown Victoria patrol units, most with more than 150,000 miles on them. By replacing these older vehicles with the new Dodge Chargers, deputies will have safer and more reliable patrol units to respond to calls for service and conduct regular patrols. In addition increased reliability and safety of the new Chargers, I expect that our maintenance and fuel costs will decrease as a result of the newer patrol units."

The seven new patrol cars are part of a list of more than 40 vehicles to be purchased for the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office with about $1.2 million out of $2 million in county funds for capital expenses, some of which was from surplus penny sales tax funds known as HOST, or Homestead Option Sales Tax. That list included:

7 Chargers (marked) issued to the new Task Force Unit
• 1 Charger (marked) for K-9 in Task Force
• 20 Chargers specifically for Patrol
• 7 Chargers unmarked
• 3 Tahoes marked (decals)
• 5 Tahoes unmarked and will replace existing SUVs