Police Cars

Tell us a little about yourself Jim,

Anyone else is welcome too!

Sean

A little history about myself for those of you that said you were interested in knowing about background and talking with others in the business.......

I currently am an installer for an emergency vehicle outfitter. I have been with this company for a short time. I have many skills and have held many positions with several companies in various fields. I have an amateur radio license and used to work for a radio shop. We handled Motorola, Midland, Icom radios, Orbacom dispatch consoles, and some lights, sirens, etc. I started my career out with computers back in the 80's. I had a strong background with PC's, networking, printers, voice and data cabling, Nortel telephone systems, documentation, etc. I originaly went to school for Aircraft maintenance. This taught me various things, such as sheet metal, woodworking, technical drawing, engines, jets, electrical, plastic, fabric, electronics, welding (still don't weld too good) etc. etc.

I volunteer with local Fire Dept / EMS. I was a public safety dispatcher for 4 years and currently Deputy OEM coordinator for local town. I enjoy working in public safety enviornment, but the money was much better in computers. (Hate computers)

The outfit I am with now has a pretty large shop. We may be opening a second shop a couple states away soon. I would say our major product lines are Federal Signal, Code3, 911EP, Nova, Sho-Me, Sound-off for lights and sirens, Troy and Jotto Desk for equipment consoles, Setina & Troy for partitions. We don't sell radios or MDT systems, but do install them if customer provides them. We do mostly police vehicles and some fire/ems SUV's. and a rare Gator, Cushman, GEM, or other vehicle.

Before I got this position I was looking to relocate someplace warm. These last two winters were pretty rough in New Jersey. Snow, snow, snow. <<<Bad 4 letter word. Is anyone making good money anywhere (other than the owners) I think I still want to find someplace warmer.

John Liguori - NJ

About me.

I grew up a Navy brat, my dad is a retired electronics tech from the navy.  I spent 5 1/2 years in the airforce and learned the ins and outs of chasing over 3 miles of wire through F-4 Wild Weasels. 

I got into the emergency vehicle building business srt of by accident.  I was trying to find a job after moving back to NC and saw one for an installer with the NC Highway Patrol.  With my wiring background they loved me and I was really over qualified.  They wouldnt give me more money without my FCC License so I went into the private sector.  I hooked up with a fairly large radio shop in NC where I learned about other systems that I didnt see in tne HP so it was a really good education.  It must be my personality but I kept bugging them for more training on portables and things like that and then with the training under my belt ofcourse I needed more money.  I still was one paycheck away from being on the street. 

Eventually we had a parting of the ways and that was the shove out the window that I needed to start my own business.  With my business connections and selling 1/3 of my business to an older couple for an investment I was off and running.

It is extremely tough.  I love my work and I still wire vehicles like I wired aircraft.  It is the finding customers part that is killing me.  I have some good contracts but you know muni's don't by vehicles every day of the year.  Eventually I would like to be the goto company for emergency vehicles in the south-east.

Not much snow here by the way, just a hurricane or two. (sorry about the 4 letter word John.)  I am based out of Raleigh NC and willing to drive a couple of hours for good work.  My business is purely mobile rightnow, just me and a full sized van.  Most of my customers love that I come to them too.

Well that is the basics.

Jim Luke-NC