Private use of official cars ?

[Tactically Fat]

Those LEO aboard with take home vehicles:

If you have other people in the vehicle, IE family, who holds the liability should there be an accident that injures a passenger?

I'm not a LEO, but I do drive many many miles in publicly funded vehicles. We're not allowed to have non employees in our vehicles at all unless there has been some kind of waiver signed and approval granted several days in advance. They didn't want to assume the liability to pay for someone else's injuries.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Those LEO aboard with take home vehicles:

If you have other people in the vehicle, IE family, who holds the liability should there be an accident that injures a passenger?

I'm not a LEO, but I do drive many many miles in publicly funded vehicles. We're not allowed to have non employees in our vehicles at all unless there has been some kind of waiver signed and approval granted several days in advance. They didn't want to assume the liability to pay for someone else's injuries.

My understanding that injuries sustained on-duty are covered by the city, injuries sustained off-duty to the officer or passengers is covered by the officer's personal health insurance. A coworker of mine was in a crash while off-duty but driving his city car and his insurance company had to cover the cost of his medical treatment.

 

[Tactically Fat]

My understanding that injuries sustained on-duty are covered by the city, injuries sustained off-duty to the officer or passengers is covered by the officer's personal health insurance. A coworker of mine was in a crash while off-duty but driving his city car and his insurance company had to cover the cost of his medical treatment.

I would THINK that any off-duty stuff would be paid for by the individual's own insurance... But with the way liability claims/lawsuits are, I'd not bet that'll hold true if, say, nephew Jimmy is riding with an officer and gets injured. Nephew Jimmy's parents may still try and sue the owner of the LEO vehicle for liability.

If *I* were a LEO, I'd not have family in my vehicle if I could help it. A) for liability - I wouldn't want there to be any questions, and B) in today's climate, I'm not sure if I'd want my family members in a police vehicle (especially if marked)

That said - I hope none of y'all have crashes. Ever.

 

[Leo]

Not exactly the same thing but related. The good people at Westinghouse provided me a car to drive to the job sites, meetings etc. Nothing fancy, just a new American sedan every year. I was bottom tier so mine were usually a Taurus, but I once got a Dodge Aries. I could take it home, however, If I wanted to use it for personal use and transport people not related to my work, I had to pay the extra "Personal Use" insurance. I think it was closer to $60/month, for sure less than $100. It was automatic payroll deduction, and you had to sign up for it once a year. I did have to be sure my use and daily duties kept the mileage less than 30,000 per year. It was a good way to benefit, and if I got called in the middle of the night, I didn't have to beat up my own car in a steel mill or chemical plant. Of course my car did not have prisoner locks, a cage or a console filled with electronics.

If a car is part of the negotiated benefits of a Peace Officers package, (or anyone else), I have no problem with it.

The best part was that if I wanted the car a the end of the year, I could buy it from the Westinghouse lease for a really cheap price.

 

[DRob]

I bet if you were one of the guys out working on the road, you'd be glad that squad car was there to slow the idiots down

True. And according to a good friend who has been in the traffic signal business for many years, there are laws requiring traffic control officers any time you restrict a lane of traffic. We have all seen road work being done with no officers on the scene but that's a huge risk for the contractor. Many of the private security companies who do that work have police-looking cars which may even have flashing lights. I never did any of that kind of part-time work. I always figured the risk far outweighed the money they wanted to pay.

 

[CountryBoy19]

ISP trooper can drive his car wherever he likes in Indiana while off duty.

Except for moonlighting?

This take home car thing really singes some whiskers, doesn't it.

Just to be clear it doesn't singe my whiskers, I actually fully support the fact that officers get to take them home. But I wouldn't support an officer that wished to drive his family on a vacation 500 miles round-trip on taxpayer funded car/fuel.

I was just looking for clarification on the restrictions in place.

FWIW, I work in a public service job and if I have a public vehicle and I'm spotted ANYWHERE on personal business I will get reprimanded. Just wondering what the justification would be for allowing public vehicles to be used for personal matters with absolutely no connection to the official job.

 

[JettaKnight]

This thread makes me glad I'm not a public servant (God bless those that are). I do far more things without someone getting their whiskers singed, like taking an oscilloscope home for the weekend or spending an evening at the office drinking and playing board games with friends.

Sure, I'm a taxpayer, but that doesn't give me the right to nitpick everything.

 

[target64]

I once had a Federal Government position that came many job perks such as free travel, meals, and lodging. I was also given free training and uniforms. So I do not have an issue with LEO's having a take home car. I figure the ones parked in my neighborhood benefit me to some degree.

For those who are interested in my old position or one similar , I know the company is hiring currently. Here is a link to get you started.
Find Careers and Jobs in the US Navy : Navy.com

 

[SMiller]

Except for moonlighting?


Just to be clear it doesn't singe my whiskers, I actually fully support the fact that officers get to take them home. But I wouldn't support an officer that wished to drive his family on a vacation 500 miles round-trip on taxpayer funded car/fuel.

I was just looking for clarification on the restrictions in place.

FWIW, I work in a public service job and if I have a public vehicle and I'm spotted ANYWHERE on personal business I will get reprimanded. Just wondering what the justification would be for allowing public vehicles to be used for personal matters with absolutely no connection to the official job.

No that is not correct, they CAN drive the vehicle to the moonlight job but cannot use it during said moonlighting. So no patrolling or doing security from vehicle.

Good example would be a bank-jeweler-cvs/walgreens where they drive car to/from but are working inside during detail.

 

[Snipercop]

I see it as a small benefit for the work I do every day. I don't work part time, but it's nice to jump in and drive up the road to grab a pizza. Until recently, it's been a plus having it sit in my driveway. Generally, a car that is issued will be better taken care of than one that is shared by many. I see my car as my office. If I worked in an office, I wouldn't want to pack all my supplies up every day and cart them in and pack them up when I leave. When my car goes in for service that can't be done within an hour like an oil change, tires, or brakes, it usually takes me about 40 minutes to get all my duty gear, printer, laptop, hot spot, extra handcuffs, seat organizer, shotgun, rifle, flares, traffic vest, garage door opener, OARs, measuring wheel, raincoat, ram, halligan, compressor, coloring books and crayons, toy bears, property bags and property sheets, traffic cones and campaign hat out of one and situated in another. Many departments also make officers pay extra if they use their vehicles for part time work.

As a side note, I NEVER take my family in the car..period.

 

[Leo]

Shout out to all the Peace Officers, whatever jurisdiction, if you take a car home or not. Thanks for your efforts.

 

[CHCRandy]

What I dont agree with is unlimited use of the vehicle at the expense of taxpayers when the get very little to nothing in return.

Every town has one or two or ten.

 

[GlockRock]

Every town has one or two or ten.

Exactly. My department had 3 of them. They put more miles on the cars off duty than they did on duty without paying a penny for gas.

 

[SSGSAD]

I am OK with this. Having a marked car at a work zone is a serious plus in my eyes. Makes a few more of the inconsiderate idiots look up from the phone and pay the hell attention.....or not.
These guys put themselves out there every day.
Yes, they choose to be there but if a perk like driving the vehicle is a deal breaker we need to look at the original deal.

Also, having all these marked/unmarked cars rolling around gives a much needed presence.

AMEN, to all the above .....

When I applied to IPD, four times, in 4 years, the "take home car", was the least of my worries .....

IIRC, it was going to be like 3-5 years, till I was able to have a "take home car" anyway .....

The last time I applied, was 1988 ..... So this COULD have changed .....

IIRC, back then, base pay, was $25,000 a year, 6 mo in the academy, 6 mo with fto,

then your probationary year, then your first raise .....

 

[igotdiesel2]

I once had a Federal Government position that came many job perks such as free travel, meals, and lodging. I was also given free training and uniforms. So I do not have an issue with LEO's having a take home car. I figure the ones parked in my neighborhood benefit me to some degree.

For those who are interested in my old position or one similar , I know the company is hiring currently. Here is a link to get you started.
Find Careers and Jobs in the US Navy : Navy.com

I love this response. Great job Sir, reps already sent. Thank you.

Now for the taking home cars: I have a friend that lives in Christiansburg, Va. He is on the PD there. They are allowed to take their cars home but are not allowed to drive them for personal use. Only to and from the PD. They are allowed to stop on the way to or from work if it is on their way. I don't understand that one at all. Why even give them a patrol car to take home? I know IMPD has to pay so much a month/ year to take their cars home, I don't like it, I wish they didn't have to pay it. But I'm not the one making the rules on that stuff.

 

[Gabriel]

Exactly. My department had 3 of them. They put more miles on the cars off duty than they did on duty without paying a penny for gas.

We have a limit on how many gallons you can use a month. Beyond that you have to buy your own gas.