LIVERMORE FALLS – Selectmen voted Monday to let the police chief use $12,565 in federal funds and some donations that have come in over the years to buy a four-wheel-drive police vehicle to replace an aging 1998 Chevy Tahoe.

The money for the Tahoe was donated by an emergency dispatcher Arthur Vanzwoll, who died of cancer nearly a decade ago. He had worked for the town for several years.

The Police Department will receive the federal money as part of the federal stimulus package, police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. said. It is the Edward Byrn Justice Assistance Grant and it is to be used for items not normally budgeted for, he said.

Since the Tahoe was a gift, Steward said, money was not included in a budget to replace it.

“We’ve been thinking about how were gong to replace it,” he said.

The town does include money in budgets to replace cruisers, and buy one every two years.

He would be looking to replace that vehicle with a smaller SUV, he said.

Resident Palmer Hebert said with car dealerships trying to get rid of vehicles, now would be the time to get a good deal.

Police will request bids on the vehicle, he said.

Vanzwoll’s name would also be placed on the vehicle after the Tahoe was traded in, he said.

Steward also asked selectmen to consider another grant that would pay for an additional officer for three years, but the town would have to agree to hiring the officer a fourth year, he said.

Selectmen agreed to take that under advisement.