Cops and take home cars

[rdytogo]

I was in the barbershop the other day when a cop came in. He wasn't in uniform and during a conversation he had with the barber it was evident that he wasn't going to work that day at all. This led to a conversation when he left about him using his police car for personal use.

I came to the conclusion that I was ok with it, but another patron seemed very upset.

I'm curious of the opinion of the rest of you and what is your pro or con stance?

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Not all agencies have them.

It's akin to having a take home car when working for a large company, IMO. One of the perks of the job.

Plus, it's easier for them to respond to anything while they're off duty.

 

[glhs837]

Other benefits for us the taxpayer is that take home cars last longer and are generally better taken car of than shift issued cars. And the deterrent effect any cruiser has. I'm fine with take home cars.

 

[Bay_Kat]

A cop lives 3 doors up from me and he brings his car home and I like having it there, might make bad guys think twice. There are several cops in the neighborhood and they all work different shifts, so there's always a car in one driveway or another.

 

[Gilligan]

Other benefits for us the taxpayer is that take home cars last longer and are generally better taken car of than shift issued cars. And the deterrent effect any cruiser has. I'm fine with take home cars.

I've always been fine with that too. I like to see LE vehicles in plain view around the neighborhood.

 

[dizzydevilrules]

It's akin to having a take home car when working for a large company, IMO. One of the perks of the job.

The big diffference here, WE the citizens pay for those cars. Large companies pay for those cars out of their overhead.

I don't really like it. It would bother me less if they didn't run their own personal chores in OUR cars. If you're off duty, leave the squad car at home. I know a deputy personnally and he parks his car and leaves it at home when off-duty.

 

[glhs837]

And if he wants to, that's fine. But what little wear and tear they add in personal use (which, unless I'm mistaken should all be in-county) is far outweighed by the better care taken of a take home car and the immeasurable but still present deterrent effect. Also factor in, were they shift issued cars, they would rack up far more miles and need to be replaced much faster. Companies provide company cars, generally speaking, becuase they require that person to travel, and were they to compensate the person for using a POV< it would cost far more than fleet management does. Simple economics. And, when you get down to it, for some departments, the math works out so that take home cars save us, the taxpayers, money.

 

[frequentflier]

I don't have a problem with it at all; for many of the reasons others mentioned.
A few off duty deputies and a trooper routinely come in for pet food in their patrol cars. I like their presence in the parking lot!

 

[itsrequired]

I like the take home car. I don't use mine off duty very much unless it's coming from or going to work. My personal vehicle is much nicer and more comfortable than my police car. I will say that very often, when I am on my way home I have run across accidents which I have been able to assist, or responded to calls. The taxpayer wasn't paying me anything for the time I was there.

I used to work secondary employment and use my vehicle. While that benefited me, it also benefited the taxpayer. There were and still are a lot of extra rescources on the street not being paid by the taxpayer. I remember one incident, where there was a need for about ten officers. Eight out of the ten were off duty. They conducted interviews, cleared the crime scene and stood by until the detectives who were called out arrived and the scene was safe. This incident alone was probably worth sixteen to twenty man hours. None of that time was billed to the county.

This still happens today. I think the non-paid man hours worked by "off duty" officers far outweighs any other cost.

 

[luvmygdaughters]

I was under the impression, if you're a cop...you're never off duty.

 

[itsrequired]

I was under the impression, if you're a cop...you're never off duty.

Then they owe me a whole lot of overtime...lol

 

[luvmygdaughters]

Then they owe me a whole lot of overtime...lol

LOL, that's what I was told, many years ago. My ex-MIL worked for PG County police dept. She said it was in the training manual or something like that. Not verbatim, but, something on the lines of you will always be expected to perform your duties rather on duty or not. In other words, never really offduty.

 

[itsrequired]

LOL, that's what I was told, many years ago. My ex-MIL worked for PG County police dept. She said it was in the training manual or something like that. Not verbatim, but, something on the lines of you will always be expected to perform your duties rather on duty or not. In other words, never really offduty.

In that sense, you are correct.

 

[GregV814]

Well, lets no be so anxious to fault the Departments. I had a take home for about 20 years. In retrospect, I'd have chosen not to take it home. I cant even count the number of times I had to settle petty disputes at a 7-11, neighbors coming to me with minor domestic disputes, their kid not coming home for a frew hours, and having a bullseye on my home. I handled minor traffic accidents, wrote tickets etc...However what most people dont know is that its a cost savings matter for that jurisdiction. It gives the impression that there are more officers on the road than there really are. If most only knew how short staffed most departments are, they would be shocked.

 

[Bay_Kat]

I was under the impression, if you're a cop...you're never off duty.

Exactly.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

I like the take home car. I don't use mine off duty very much unless it's coming from or going to work. My personal vehicle is much nicer and more comfortable than my police car. I will say that very often, when I am on my way home I have run across accidents which I have been able to assist, or responded to calls. The taxpayer wasn't paying me anything for the time I was there.

I used to work secondary employment and use my vehicle. While that benefited me, it also benefited the taxpayer. There were and still are a lot of extra rescources on the street not being paid by the taxpayer. I remember one incident, where there was a need for about ten officers. Eight out of the ten were off duty. They conducted interviews, cleared the crime scene and stood by until the detectives who were called out arrived and the scene was safe. This incident alone was probably worth sixteen to twenty man hours. None of that time was billed to the county.

This still happens today. I think the non-paid man hours worked by "off duty" officers far outweighs any other cost.

I lived next door to a Calvert LEO years ago. It did make me feel better knowing his cruiser was in front of the house. One time he also helped me. I had blacked out, let's say; no drugs/akkie hall; but because of a medical reason. Neighbor opened the door when I didn't answer his knock and found me on the kitchen floor. Luckily I had given him and his wife a key. Same neighbor would also, many times, render assistance on this side of the bridge, on his way to work.

 

[SG_Player1974]

All the years I was in the service I was never off duty either but, I dont remember EVER being able to take the duty vehicle home.

I think its a GOOD idea as long as its not abused. TO and from work and official business only. Not for grocery store trips and picking up your kids from practice.

 

[RPMDAD]

I am all for it.

 

[itsrequired]

All the years I was in the service I was never off duty either but, I dont remember EVER being able to take the duty vehicle home.

I think its a GOOD idea as long as its not abused. TO and from work and official business only. Not for grocery store trips and picking up your kids from practice.

When cops are going to the grocery store, are they not able to respond to calls for service? Doesn't the grocery store or any other business they might be going to benefit from the extra officers?

 

[This_person]

When cops are going to the grocery store, are they not able to respond to calls for service? Doesn't the grocery store or any other business they might be going to benefit from the extra officers?

Are you not still an officer in your own car?

As for the argument it saves miles: that makes no sense. Shift cars get shift miles, take-home cars get shift miles plus personal miles while another car has to be purchased and maintained.

That said, without the altruistic BS, cops (like most military) are underpaid and because of that I'm o.k. with take home cars.