Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana and the city of Gary will allocate $5.5 million over five years to purchase more than 80 police vehicles for the Gary Police Department.
The casino will donate $3 million and the city will match $2.5 million of that donation to purchase the police vehicles, according to a news release.
President of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana Matt Schuffert said the funding will ensure the Gary Police Department has the resources required to meet the city’s needs, especially since the city will be home to the Lake County Convention Center.
“We thought it was a great partnership for us, and we look forward to seeing it come to fruition,” Schuffert said. “Progressing the purchases over a number of years is the right thing to do just to ensure the longevity of the donation.”
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in the release that the new vehicles will help keep the city safe.
“Keeping our community safe will always be our top priority,” Melton said. “By updating our patrol vehicles, we are making sure our officers have the tools to serve our residents with the professionalism and care they deserve.”
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In 2025, Hard Rock will donate $1 million and the city will match $500,000. The $1.5 million will be used to purchase 23 new police vehicles, according to the release.
Each year from 2026 to 2029, Hard Rock will donate $500,000, and the city will match $500,000. The $1 million annual investment into the department will go toward purchasing 15 police vehicles each year, according to the release.
Indiana’s Quantity Purchase Agreement allows city government agencies to buy vehicles at a predetermined price to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars, according to the release.
In May, the council approved the $1 million donation for 2025. Erika Blackwell, city of Gary spokeswoman, said the Gary Common Council is legally required to vote on the Hard Rock’s donation each year.
The new police vehicles will be a variety of makes and models, each installed with department-specific equipment, including license plate readers, rear transport cages, front and rear in car video systems, push-button, voice-activated public address commands, front and rear traffic radar and mobile data terminals for officers to use to complete reports in the field, according to the release.
The Gary Police Department averages 200 calls for service per day, which makes it the busiest police department in Northwest Indiana, said Gary Chief of Police Derrick Cannon, in the release.
In 2024, the department responded to approximately 80,000 calls for service. The call volume means the department has a “need for ongoing upgrades to our fleet, so we can meet the demands to better serve our community,” Cannon said in the release.
“Our goal is to provide the highest level of protection for the city of Gary,” Cannon said. “The continued support from our community is something we deeply value. Our officers truly appreciate the people they serve, and we’re proud to protect a city that cares.”