[RP TownTalk] Town Police "Take Home" Cars

[lisagrob at verizon.net]

It's sensible to review benefit policies in nearby areas. I would be 
supportive of a purchasing policy that favors replacement, when 
appropriate, with green vehicles. We should proceed with caution in 
considering cutting benefits for our public servants IMO.

On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 11:18 PM, Alice Ewen Walker wrote:

Town Council recently requested that the police assemble policies from 
adjacent areas so that we could compare and review  this benefit. 
(Attached.) It does vary, but the practice is pretty common. It's part 
of the total compensation picture in competing for recruits, so keeping 
roughly in line w/ other departments is a consideration.

- Alice

On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 7:11 PM, Jenna Edwards < repvet2004 at yahoo.com 
<mailto:repvet2004 at yahoo.com> > wrote:
With the ever increasing price of gas I believe that our police "Take 
Home Car" program has grown beyond the point of what is now reasonable 
for our Town to sustain.I recently overheard some of our police officers 
talking about the subject while I was picking up food at one of our 
local carryouts.Apparently our police officers drive a Town police 
vehicle each way to work up to a 30 air mile radius of the Town.That 
could work out to 1,200 miles a month or 14,400 miles a year just for 
the commute on the taxpayers dime.This is very troubling as we all 
struggle to put gas into our own vehicles but fund this abuse with our 
tax dollars.Maintenance costs such as tires, oil, brakes ,etc. add 
additional costs.I also overheard laughing from the  same police 
officers stating that some officers drive to Delaware, Pennsylvania, and 
Virginia.These locations appear to be beyond even the 30 air mile 
radius.I understand that police "Take Home Cars" boost police visibility 
and provide an additional resource in the police officer's 
jurisdiction.The idea is to use them in their own communities and 
jurisdictions not hours away or in another state.I have no problem with 
our police officers who live in Riverdale Park having a "Take Home" Town 
police vehicle because I believe residents benefit.Further police 
officers have no authority when they leave their own jurisdictions 
except to act on a very serious Felony.I have learned that the County 
Police may not take there assigned police vehicle out of  their 
jurisdiction - Prince George's County.Some very large police departments 
such as Baltimore County  have no such program at all.Our police 
vehicles apparently have very large 8 cylinder motor  s  which further 
raise fuel costs.Has the Town explored other options for patrol such as 
smaller cars, more bike patrols, small motorcycles, electric patrol 
vehicles, etc. to reduce fuel and fleet expenses.I believe that  this 
topic  warrants  a full review and  policy changes by our elected 
officials.

Jenna Edwards
Somerset Road

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-- 
Alice Ewen Walker
Councilwoman, Ward 1
Town of Riverdale Park

------------------------------

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