Government, constant bastion against frivolous spending of the tax payers dollars, sometimes is a little too thrifty.
There was a time when the CCSO would only use Firestone tires. Great tires, cheap price. The City would only use Goodyear. Cost a little more but lasted much longer. A friendly contention raged over who was right.
The argument was settled one evening when both NPD and CCSO cops chased a wild man in a Dodge Challenger up to Bonita Springs. Before the chase was over, the tires blew on all three CCSO cars in the chase and remained inflated on the Goodyears. By the end of the next week all Sheriff's cars were wearing Goodyears.
That's not to say the City was always wise in their spending. When the new PD was built on Goodlette Road our--the Police Department's--specs called for shades over the front windows. If not shaded, a clear view of the lobby and the Comm Center, with dispatchers, was available at night to anyone driving by or taking a gander from the adjoining neighborhoods. Across Goodlette was Naples' ghetto, McDonald's Quarters, not always the NPD's fan base. The City said blinds cost too much so we asked for dark solar film. The cost for this was minimal but some Council folks argued it was excessive. And they won.
During the first week we occupied the building, a rifle shot came zinging through the Comm Center one evening. Fortunately, no one was hit, but several did have to change their laundry.
And, suddenly, the film was no longer too expensive. It went up the next day, right after the glass with the bullet hole in it was changed.
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