Catawba County commissioners are handing over a surplus ambulance to Newton Police.
But what do police need with an ambulance? Lots, it turns out.
In the coming weeks, Maj. Tim Hayes said the 2012 Chevrolet ambulance will be transformed into a mobile crime scene unit for easier evidence processing at crime scenes and for use as a mobile command post.
“Typically, larger departments have mobile crime scene units, because patrol units can only carry so many items. With the mobile unit, we will be able to house those items and equipment easier, which will give us more options,” Hayes said. The ambulance, with 184,598 miles, was previously a Catawba County EMS unit. The transformation should be complete in the next few weeks.