NCJ Number
209659
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2005 Pages: 38-41
Date Published
April 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article identifies and discusses issues that are pertinent to an agency's decision regarding whether officers should be permitted to take their vehicles home and use them for personal transportation.
Abstract
Advantages of officers having take-home patrol cars are the tendency for officers to take better care of such cars, thus lowering maintenance and repair costs; the increased visibility of police officers in the community and on the roadways; the appeal of a take-home policy in recruiting new officers; savings in not having to provide facilities and secure parking areas for off-duty vehicles; and the quicker deployment of an off-duty officer to critical incidents. Some of the disadvantages and risks of a take-home program are departmental liability for vehicle accidents by off-duty officers and the security of the car and its contents while parked at an officer's house. Any cost-benefit assessment of a take-home program should consider citizen perceptions of safety, the deterrent effect of police visibility, morale effects, and the value of alternative uses of funds. An agency that decides to have a take-home program must have clear guidelines for the responsibilities of both the operating officer and the agency. Guidelines should encompass responsibility for maintenance and repair, the permissible scope of the off-duty operation of the vehicle, and security procedures off-duty officers should follow to prevent the theft of or from their vehicles.