DOJ Demands Refund from Sheriff Who Bought Hellcat

Sounds Legit

Say you're a Sheriff named Butch out Georgia way, what car would you pick to fight crime? Exactly: a 2018 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. What better way to protect and serve? While most of us would agree with Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway's choice of steed, the U.S. Department of Justice wasn't having it. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the DOJ insists that the $69,258 the Sheriff's department spent on the car was an "extravagant expenditure," and requested the funds be returned by July 31. But it’s the federal government we're dealing with here, so the story isn't quite as simple as it seems. It turns out the federal agency initially approved the acquisition before they for whatever reason changed their minds. And they didn't exactly ask for the money back, they are simply holding up any future funds until Gwinnett Count pays up.

The Funds

How did the Gwinnett Sheriff get $70K for a 707 hp muscle cruiser in the first place? As a part of the U.S. Department of Justice, the DOJ's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section runs a program called Equitable Sharing. The program takes dollars seized from criminal enterprises and makes them available to state and local governments. Of course, that money presumably originated from honest citizens at some point so it's subject to a bit of scrutiny. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quotes the executive director of the group Georgia Ethics Watchdogs, spoilsport William Perry (no known relation to the Chicago Bears' Refrigerator Perry) as saying the assets should be "treated the same way as a dollar coming out of a taxpayer’s pocket." He also used very colorful vernacular to describe the Sheriff's justification for buying the Hellcat, calling it "bull feathers."

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

Justified

Although Gwinnett County is acquiescing to the DOJ's wishes, they don't feel the purchase was particularly in error. "Sheriff Conway maintains that this vehicle is an appropriate purchase, especially for an agency with a $92 million budget and the opportunity this vehicle provides in making our roadways safer," stated Deputy Shannon Volkodav, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office spokeswoman in a written statement.

 You tell 'em, Shannon. Among the stated uses for Sheriff Butch's ride was his plan to participate in field operations, "covert and otherwise," with the department's deputies. 

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

Beat the Heat

If that sounds like horsefeathers to you, we can explain. It's not what it looks like, we promise. The department planned to use the car in its "Beat the Heat" vehicle safety program. The program, like others around the country in areas with both a strong interest in motorsports and a problem with the illegal practice of same on city streets, seeks to involve the community in drag racing as a much safer outlet for speedy activity. We see the Sheriff's point. How are they going to act as a shining example if turbo Neons smoke them in the quarter? 

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

The Car

Apparently, someone at the DOJ wrote that the Charger Hellcat is, "a high-performance vehicle not typically purchased as part of a traditional fleet of law enforcement vehicles." Since when? How old was the person that wrote that? They're such a part of our history that every automotive journalistic outlet worth its salt has done pieces on hot cop cars from the past. Making videos about fast police vehicles have even kept Jay Leno out of trouble. 

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

Alternatives

Chargers have been favorites of police departments for some time, even more so now with Ford forcing law enforcement to procure pricey SUVs in lieu of sedans. Dodge itself offers the Charger Pursuit, powered by a 292 hp, 260 lb-feet of torque 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, specifically for the law enforcement community. California purchased 580 examples of the model in 2016. Though Charger Pursuits start at $32,020, the sticker price climbs rapidly with the addition of options, edging closer to Hellcat territory with every bell and whistle. 

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

Miranda not Mirada

In a way, Gwinnett county just picked the top option. Who can blame them? We're not sure what Sheriff Butch will be driving around in next, but our vote is to try to sneak a Hennessey—like the ones on the last two pages—by the federal funding machine. If that doesn't work they could always pick a Charger one or two slots down from the Hellcat and see if the DOJ rubber stamps it. Mopar Miranda rights clearly state that an R/T Scat Pack or SRT 392 will be provided for you free of charge if you cannot afford one.

>>Join the conversation about the Sherriff Dept's Hellcat right here in DodgeForum.com.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.