Apr. 6—The Lebanon Police Department is conducting an ongoing investigation after executing a search warrant on Monday.

The search, conducted by the department’s Special Operations Unit, was part of an investigation into the alleged sale of illegal narcotics at an apartment in the Meadows apartment complex on Tennessee Boulevard.

Investigators recovered over 500 pills during the search, including pressed pills that were being sold.

Additional police vehicles requested

The Lebanon City Council is scheduled to vote to amend the city’s budget to accommodate the purchase of more police vehicles.

“We try to replace aging cars every year,” Lebanon Police Department Public Information Officer Richard Clark said. “We order cars every year to keep officers in updated equipment. We want to make sure that the officers are given the best, safest equipment they can get.”

The budget amendment was requested by Lebanon Police Department Chief Mike Justice, and the funding would be used to order hybrid cars.

“I think that this is the second year that we’ve ordered hybrids if I’m not mistaken,” Clark said. “We’re already noticing that it will benefit us in many different ways so far. It’s been a good thing.”

When the department orders the new cars, the vehicles might not be delivered for a year.

“It could be longer,” Clark said. “It looks like we’re going to order cars, but you might not see those cars on the road for a year. It’s kind of strategically planning to replace these vehicles to make sure that we have the best equipment for our officers and the community and doing it in a timely manner and pre-planning.”

There is currently not a set budget for the purchase of the vehicles.

“From my perspective, and the (city) council’s perspective, public safety is of the utmost concern,” Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell said. “The police department plays a big role in (traffic safety) too. They’re out there on the streets every day. They’re watching for people who are speeding, running red lights and driving in a more dangerous manner.”

After the city council approved the budget amendment on first reading at its March 19 meeting, Bell said that the extra patrol cars are about public and traffic safety.

“Our police department works hard every day out there protecting our citizens and I say a lot that not only are they our ambassadors, but they are also our protectors,” Bell said. “They are out there in the public every day. They’re talking to people. They’re handling crisis situations, and they never know what they’re going to walk into. We want to make sure that they have the best equipment possible and that includes their vehicles.”