Lorain County commissioners are disputing claims by the county’s deputies association that dozens of patrol vehicles were at risk of repossession, saying the information shared publicly was false and that the vehicles were never in danger of being taken.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the Lorain County Board of Commissioners said it had become aware of what it called “false information” circulated by the sheriff’s deputies association regarding an alleged default on the county’s vehicle fleet lease with Enterprise Fleet Management and the possible repossession of 41 police cruisers.
The commissioners said county Deputy Administrator Karen Perkins contacted Enterprise Fleet Management after learning of the claims and was told the vehicles were not going to be repossessed.
The response follows a press release issued Wednesday night by the Lorain County Deputies Association, which claimed the county commissioners defaulted on more than $57,000 in lease payments, prompting deputies to begin removing equipment and personal belongings from patrol vehicles in preparation for repossession. The association said the situation threatened the sheriff’s office’s ability to respond to calls for service.
In their statement, commissioners said responsibility for managing payments related to the sheriff’s office lies with the elected sheriff, not the board of commissioners. According to the release, the sheriff’s office is responsible for processing its own invoices, including those from Enterprise Fleet Management.
The commissioners said the sheriff’s office did not pay the full invoice of $13,583.81 by December 2025, triggering an automated notice of default issued to the sheriff’s department. They emphasized that the notice did not result in repossession proceedings.
The board also noted it approved the sheriff’s 2026 annual budget on Dec. 19, 2025, and said the sheriff currently has $346,000 available in his equipment lease account.
Commissioners said they remain committed to ensuring continuity of public safety services and responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.
