IT'S COLD OUTSIDE:

GO GET YOURSELF A NICE LEATHER COAT.

This is a story about the Taylors Leatherwear Model 4497Z Overcoat. This beautiful coat is a 3/4 length leather coat that retails for $429, regularly.  This item is also an approved NOPD uniform item.  Only certain people are allowed to wear it as a uniform item, but any officer should be allowed to buy it.  Let's have a look at it:

What a beautiful coat!

On the document that Signal 26 was allowed to use to provide pricing for bid items (for some reason, not the bid, as we discussed here), it said it would sell the Taylors Overcoat model 4497Z, for $43.32.  A.P.E. guessed that, from the extremely low price of this item and other items, that Signal 26 had no intention of selling it.

Today, an NOPD officer came in to A.P.E. and told us a fascinating story.  He told us that he went to Signal 26 to buy a 4497Z Taylors overcoat using his uniform voucher.  According to the officer, he was told that he could not get the jacket because it was "discontinued" by the manufacturer and Signal 26 just "put a price" on the bid in order to be in compliance with the bid.  It even put a price on its post-bid price list!

Well, that was news to A.P.E.  While the officer was in the office, we called the president of Taylors Leatherwear and asked if the 4497Z was discontinued.  He gave us an unqualified "no" and he sent us the following email:

Just as A.P.E. has stated in court, Signal 26 won the NOPD uniform bid under false pretenses.  It lied on the bid and now lies to NOPD officers.  

So, again, if you are cold, GO GET YOURSELF A NICE WARM LEATHER COAT.

Be careful (and warm) out there.