Police chief to foot bill for sunroof

Monday, Dec. 26, 2005 | 6:55 a.m.

Henderson Police Chief Alan Kerstein will reimburse the city $830 for ordering a sunroof for his department car, a city official said.

Faced with questions over whether adding premium features to police administrators' cars is an appropriate use of tax dollars, Kerstein also has decided against giving his top aides cars with sunroofs and other improvements that would have cost the city an extra $3,600 per vehicle, according to police spokesman Keith Paul.

Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said Kerstein will reimburse the city for the sunroof on the new Chevrolet Impala that he takes home with him. Paul, however, would not confirm her account and Kerstein has refused to discuss the topic.

"It shows the quality and integrity of the person," said Cyphers, who had been vocal in her criticism of the enhanced cars. "He is willing to fix the situation. He's being very honorable."

Cyphers had criticized the inclusion of sunroofs as an unneeded luxury that creates a poor public impression. She also questioned the need for Kerstein and other administrators to have cars with spoilers and powerful engines that are included on patrol vehicles.

Kerstein's Impala also has a Bose radio with an eight-speaker sound system at a $400 additional cost to the city.

Cyphers, however, said she does not expect the chief to reimburse the city for that feature. She said she was told the radio system came with the car.

But Ziggy Terelak, the fleet manager of Reno-based Champion Chevrolet, which sold the car to Henderson, said the Bose radio was not standard but rather was requested by the city. Having the Bose radio and the sunroof will boost the resale value of the chief's car when the city retires it and sells it at auction, Terelak said.

Earlier this month, Henderson delayed awarding a $2.3 million contract for 93 city vehicles because of the unavailability of 57 Chevrolet Tahoes that the police department planned to use as patrol vehicles. Seventy-eight of the 93 vehicles were earmarked for police use, including four upgraded Impalas for two deputy chiefs and two captains.

Now, the four Impalas will be the same model as ordered for detectives at a cost of $15,492, Paul said. The upgraded Impalas with sunroofs and more powerful engines would have cost $19,087.

Cyphers said she understands the chief's motives behind ordering the cars with sunroofs, noting that doing so is a common practice in Los Angeles, where such features often are added to boost the vehicles' resale value, she said.

"I think it was more of a misunderstanding of what is a proper vehicle for department heads within the city of Henderson," Cyphers said. "He came here from California, but Henderson is different. Once it was brought to his attention, he understood. He wasn't trying to do anything intentionally and using public funds for a luxury."

Brian Wargo can be reached at 259-4011 or at wargo@lasvegassun.com.