Tampa Republic

The City of Tampa is set to receive a nearly one-million-dollar grant to fund the purchase of up to 13 new electric police vehicles for the Tampa Police Department. The federal funding was secured by U.S. Representative Kathy Castor and aims to initiate and test the transition of alternative fuel vehicles in Tampa's public safety operations.

With the Tampa Police Department driving nearly 4.5 million miles annually and spending over $3 million on fuel, electric vehicles are seen as a viable solution to reduce the department's carbon footprint.

"This initiative is just one of many we are excited and proud to implement in our city as we move toward a more sustainable future," said Mayor Jane Castor. "We must take action in order to reach our environmental goals, but we would not be able to pursue many of these initiatives without support from our elected officials, like U.S. Representative Kathy Castor. We are immensely grateful for these valuable federal dollars that will help us reduce our carbon footprint, improve air quality, and reduce fuel costs to taxpayers."

Tampa's public safety divisions, including the Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue, contribute approximately 7,500 metric tons of carbon emissions annually—equivalent to consuming about 850,000 gallons of gasoline. Currently, neither agency has energy-efficient vehicles; however, other city departments have integrated electric or hybrid models into their fleets. Overall, the City of Tampa has 272 alternative fuel vehicles, which make up 13.4% of its fleet.

"We are thankful for the support of elected officials like U.S. Representative Kathy Castor who work with the Tampa Police Department to find ways of enhancing public safety through improved technology and equipment," said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. "We are excited to add these new electric vehicles to our fleet, providing another method of driving forward in our mission of making our city safer together."

In the coming weeks, the department will identify suitable makes and models for their needs. The timeline for receiving the electric police vehicles will depend on availability and other factors.

Contact

306 East Jackson Street

Tampa, Florida 33602

(813) 274-8211