NCJ Number
145026
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Police fleet managers may consider several cost-cutting measures including selecting more fuel-efficient vehicles, purchasing vehicles at the lowest possible price, developing and implementing fleet maintenance programs to ensure all vehicles are in good working condition, and developing driver training programs to improve fleet operational efficiency.
Abstract
The police vehicle fleet is a major consumer of police budgets; this impact may be minimized by standardization and an information management system. Fleet administrators are responsible for deciding whether or not there should be a hierarchy of types of driving authority and whether officers should be required to participated in specialized training before driving certain types of vehicles. While police vehicles seem to be disproportionately involved in spectacular collisions, there is no evidence currently available in Australia that would prove an association between driver training and reduction in collisions. Police pursuits are naturally related to the number of crashes involving police vehicles; the National Police Research Unit has recommended that supervisors monitor and modify the driving behavior of officers under their command and require police driver education that may influence attitudes toward pursuit driving. Fleet managers must also take steps to reduce the abuse of police vehicles by officers, including those who are entitled to private use of police cars. 7 references