WEST SENECA, N.Y. — West Seneca Police have put their newest vehicle, a half pickup truck and half snow mobile, to good use in these winter storms – and they named it after Buffalo Bills star Dion Dawkins.
Even though it may just look like any other pickup truck, the newest West Seneca Police vehicle is even better suited for all this winter weather.
"It’s simply amazing what this truck can get through now with those tracks on it,” Capt. James Unger with the West Seneca Police Department said.
The department took an old service truck, that rarely patrolled, and outfitted the wheel wells with the tracks from a snow mobile.
“After the November and December storms of 2022… We identified a real need for something that could get through large amounts of snow,” Capt. Unger said. “During that storm, we were having issues with our patrol cars getting stuck.”
With West Seneca receiving several feet of snow, Unger shared this vehicle has made a huge difference for their department.
“We’ve done a dozen rescues in it already, so I don’t know if you can put a price tag on the importance of having it,” Capt. Unger said.
Once our winter weather is finally over, the vehicle goes right back to operating as a normal pick-up truck.
“Those tracks come right off. They bolt on like a regular tire does.”
But Capt. Unger felt that this truck needed a name, so he chose “Dion,” named after star Buffalo Bills Tackle, Dion Dawkins.
“The first thing I thought of is how [the truck] looked in that picture. It looks pretty intimidating,” Capt. Unger said. “The first thing I thought about was how Dion Dawkins transplanted that player for the Cowboys into another time zone.”
Even getting the attention of the Bills player himself on Instagram.
The $15,000 price for the tracks was bought with FEMA relief funds and is a much cheaper purchase than buying a whole new vehicle.
“For $15,000, we think that it’s an expense well worth it.”
If your car gets stuck in West Seneca, you just might see Dion driving to the rescue.
