New wheels to boost Polk County's recreational trail patrol

The Polk County Sheriff's Department is boosting patrol of recreational trails with the purchase of two Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs), Capt. Ryan Evans tells Axios.

Why it matters: Polk County oversees many of central Iowa's largest trail systems, which connect to others across the region.

State of play: The department currently uses one ATV that's more than 10 years old.

• A recently awarded $25,000 grant from Prairie Meadows will cover much of the costs for the UTVs, which will have multiple seats and carry emergency equipment.

Zoom in: The improvements are part of increasing patrol presence and responding more promptly to trail accidents.

• There has not been a noticeable recent uptick in calls or complaints about patrol, Evans said.

What's next: Polk County is reviewing purchase options and will add the UTVs to its fleet in the coming months.