Montana Department of Justice donates decoy cop car to Lakeside

The Montana Division of Justice has provided a substitute for the beloved decoy cop automobile that’s being retired in Somers and Lakeside.

“Fortunate,” the decoy cop automobile, has racked up too many wanted repairs and is headed for retirement. The automobile was launched after neighborhood members organized an effort to assist curb dashing within the space round 2008. Initially, an area group was devoted to sustaining the automobile and shifting it round city, however in recent times it has fallen into the care of the Lakeside Somers Chamber of Commerce.

Govt Director Ali Coleman stated that they had written off changing Fortunate as a result of the price of used vehicles has gone up a lot over the previous yr, however then the state Division of Justice stepped in with a proposal. The company is donating a former freeway patrol automobile that’s anticipated to be transported inside the subsequent few weeks from Helena.

Coleman stated just a few steps stay earlier than Fortunate can exit on patrol, together with getting the car registered, insured and outfitted with some decals.

“All of the credit score goes to our local people, who banded collectively to make calls to native police departments, automobile dealerships and extra, in search of a used car,” Coleman stated.

She stated neighborhood volunteers have additionally organized in a single day storage for the automobile and will probably be liable for shifting him round to completely different places in Lakeside and Somers. That is useful as a result of the final Fortunate suffered from in a single day vandalism and weathering.

Coleman stated she is hoping the decoy cop automobile could make just a few appearances throughout this fall and winter, climate allowing.

The previous Fortunate, a 1995 Crown Victoria, is within the technique of being bought to a collector, who Coleman stated is somebody with a historical past in Polson and with the automobile itself.