VIDALIA — Approximately one year removed from the purchase of two police patrol motorcycles, Vidalia officials have sold the bikes at a more than $12,000 loss.

The Vidalia Board of Aldermen called a special meeting Thursday to open a bid on the two 2016 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide police model motorcycles. The lone bid of $36,000 — $18,000 each — came from the St. Gabriel, La., Police Department, which serves a town of more than 6,500 in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan area.

The total original cost for both motorcycles was $48,548 after accessories were added to fit the motorcycles for patrol.

When Police Chief Joey Merrill was campaigning, Merrill said he was going to remove was the motorcycle patrol. Merrill said Thursday he does not believe a town Vidalia’s size — approximately 4,300 — needs a motorcycle patrol.

“I think we can do our job sufficiently from out of a car,” he said. “I don’t think we have had any problems getting to accidents, even on the bridge.”

Merrill said should he note specific situations in the future in which a motorcycle patrol would be useful, he would look to another agency to donate the motorcycles or attempt to purchase used bikes.

“I can’t justify two brand-new motorcycles for our town,” he said.

Merrill said he had several options in mind for the funds, but department officials were still debating the best course of action.

The motorcycles were purchased in November using funds from within the department’s budget by then police chief Arthur Lewis, who was defeated by Merrill during this past election.

Lewis is now chief of the Ferriday Police Department.