HALLOWELL — The Police Department is down to two vehicles, one of which is marked, following a recent crash.

The department’s 2017 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor was hit last Sunday by a teenage driver who was apparently driving too fast for the road condition on Water Street. In addition to seriously damaging the vehicle, the crash required that Sgt. Christopher Giles be taken to the hospital for evaluation.

The Police Department is now in the process of filing an insurance claim. City Manager Gary Lamb said Friday the city has heard back from its insurance company. He said the company did not want to come out to see the SUV because the city has sent several photographs showing severe damage to the driver’s side door.

“You can still open it,” Lamb said of the door, “but it’s not right. So, it looks highly probable the vehicle will be totaled.”

Any money paid the city from the insurance company would go directly toward the purchase of a new police vehicle. Lamb said it was too early to say how much the city could get, but estimated it could be between $10,000 and $20,000, given the damaged vehicle’s age.

He said while the money to buy a new police vehicle is not in the budget, the City Council has authority to borrow up to $250,000.

City officials are now looking at a 2023 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor at Quirk Ford in Hallowell. Lamb said it is priced at $43,413.

To act on this, however, the city need move quickly, which Lamb said can happen as soon as officials hear back from the city’s insurer. The city would also need to take the new vehicle to a vendor to have the radio equipment and siren installed, which could take another week.

If everything were ready before the council’s next regularly scheduled meeting, in February, Lamb said there likely would not be any resistance to holding a special meeting to quickly authorize the purchase of a new police vehicle.

While buying a new vehicle is a top priority, Lamb said the Police Department should be able to get by in the interim. The department now has five full-time officers, including Chief Scott MacMaster, and five part-time reserve officers.

“There’s usually only one officer on the road at a time,” Lamb said. “Occasionally, the chief or sergeant would be out there in a second vehicle, but that’s not an everyday affair. We don’t regularly have two people on outside of the day shift, when the chief is here.”

He said one cruiser is fine 95% of the time, but if city police need backup support, the chief or sergeant would have to respond in his personal vehicle, which is not ideal.

With the department’s unmarked vehicle now at the garage, Hallowell police are down to one automobile available for use.

“The department is still managing to respond to emergencies as quickly as we can, and the men and women of HPD are dedicated to performing out duties expeditiously and professionally,” Giles said. “We are hindered with only have one police car. It’s now being used 24/7, without being turned off, and we can now only respond to one emergency at a time.

“We are identifying resources for temporary use in the event the remaining car fails, and we will continue to be prepared to provide the city with services.”

Finding a new police vehicle is still a top priority, and Lamb said the city will make sure it happens as soon as possible.

“We will find an Explorer or an SUV somewhere,” he said. “If it’s not Quirk, if that one gets sucked up, then we’ll go turn over rocks and find one somewhere in Maine or New England.”

Ultimately, Lamb said he is glad no one was seriously hurt in last Sunday’s crash.

“I’m glad the kids weren’t hurt,” he said. “I’m glad Sgt. Giles seems to be fine. That’s the best thing about it. It’s a car. It’s a bunch of metal. You can always buy another one.”

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