A cost-saving initiative is helping Police make the most of its resources by reusing parts from written-off police vehicles to repair others in the fleet.
Instead of sending total-loss police vehicles to the scrapyard, useable components - from engines and gearboxes to light bars and panels – are being salvaged and stored then fitted into operational vehicles where needed around the country.
The initiative is saving the organisation money, reducing waste and keeping more police vehicles on the road.
In the last financial year, savings of more than $1.3 million were reported. So far this year, savings are put at more than $408,000 excluding GST.
The programme is managed by Clive Turner, from First Rescue, who came up with the concept after seeing police vehicles deemed a total loss and sent to damaged vehicle auctions.
"It frustrated me seeing so many unaffected vehicle parts go to waste," says Clive.
"Adding salt to the wound was on other repairs, some second-hand parts purchased via wreckers turned out to be off total-loss New Zealand Police vehicles."
He spoke to the Police National Headquarters Fleet team and a trial was launched in 2019 in Waikato and Canterbury.
Now there are now donor storage locations in Whangārei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hastings, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch.
All districts have access to donor parts, with First Rescue assessing each vehicle repair on its merit - and where donor parts are available, and it’s feasible, the parts are moved to the district they’re needed.
"The programme not only keeps police vehicles on the road at a fraction of the cost of normal repairs, it also significantly lowers time off the road as parts are easily accessible."
Fleet Services manages the portfolio and communicates with Clive on an almost daily basis to authorise and request donor-related logistics. This includes identifying donor vehicles, opportunities to reduce repair quotes, moving donor vehicle between districts and expanding the programme.
Police and First Rescue are regularly monitoring regional demand for donor parts against availability, and seeking out new locations where possible.