what are your thoughts on Reserve deputies getting issued a take-home car?

Question

Reserve deputy-patrols alone,does same duties as a full time officer.Currently one car is available for 8 reserve officers,patrol when available.

I am a full-time deputy,but i am in favor of the reserves getting a take-home car.

Answer 1

I'm a Reserve Deputy. In our reserve association we have 2 members that are qualified to take a car out on their own. The other members are allowed to take the car for special functions, but are not allowed to perform "patrol" functions.

Our department provides 1 car for the reserves. If we're going to work multiple tours of duty, the department allows us to take the car home. In situations where we need multiple cars, the full-time officers are very good about allowing us to use their take-home cars.

Personally, I work between 800 and 1,000 hours each year. While a take-home car would be nice, I don't expect one and would never lobby for one. Presently, I'm able to work when I want, unless I've agreed to work a shift, and if I had a take-home car I would feel obligated to work when they wanted me to, for example, be on the call out list.

For those that question why any deputy needs a take-home car, consider the areas they patrol. Our county is 1,200 square miles and the furthest town from out station is 35 miles. If a priority call comes in around shift change, the officers coming on can respond immediately to the call, and not have to travel to the station to get a car and move their gear. Take-home cars will save time in the long-run. You may not care about this; but what if it were you that made the 911 call, how soon would you want us to get there?

Answer 2

I say you can't have it all. There are budget constraints everywhere. If you are a reserve, how often are you working? Maybe I would agree to it if you have been pulling full time duty for over 6 months straight. If you are only working as a reserve, on an as needed basis, or on on a rotation with 7 other people then no, I don't think you need a take home car.

Answer 3

I do not work in law enforcement.

I fully approve of police personnel being permitted to use a city police car in driving home, and on personal errands when off-duty, provided the city budget can allow it.

I believe that a police car parked in a residential district, or apartment complex, or any other place the officer might go off duty, that is a deterrant to crime. Some impulse criminals will be disuaded from whatever they had in mind, when seeing that there must be a police officer nearby. More deliberate criminal planners might be discouraged, when casing some place, because of proximity to police officer on site, even though probably off duty.

This deterrent value is the most important reason why I believe police officers should be permitted to have a police vehicle for personal usage.

However, I recognize there is an expense. If a city has police to be on duty 24 hours a day, the same police car could be used by different officers in different shifts. So every police vehicle parked at the officer home is one that cannot be on duty with other officers on another shift.

When police officer to go on duty, if they were in their personal non-city car, have to go thru traffic just like rest of us, not be in touch with what's going on that they may need to be aware of ... they spend a lot of time commuting. Now while it is useful for law enforcement to be aware of commuting hassles, it is also important to the community that law enforcement officers are in touch with what's going on in a hurry.

I would hope that police cars contain a GPS system that the radio dispatch can see dots on a map ... here's where we currently have police cars ... color coded which are on duty, off duty, involved in some operation, with computer controls ... click on that dot to find what its story is ... a police officer could then be called at home if there is an emergency real close & the car right oudside.

There's another factor here. Used to be years ago, we all knew our neighbors, but today we have a society where most neighbors are unknown to us. We know people via Internet, via work, etc. much better than we know geographical neighbors.

There is a need for community policing, where people who live and work in an area can get to know the police patrolling that area, get comfortable with them, the police recognize who is normally in an area, who is a stranger. I think the more the police are in poliec cars, and intermingling with society, the better off we are for these goals.

I recognize some exceptions ... state police perhaps should patrol a different section of major highways than near where they live ... imagine pulling over a speeder & it turns out to be a friend, parent of a child who is a pal of your child ... I think as a society, we are better off if we do not put our state police into that kind of situation.

Answer 4

if they give you a patrol car to take home sounds like you would be on call 24/7.but one car for 8 officers sounds like the county you work for is cheap or broke.

Answer 5

A reserve only works part time........

It would be a huge waste of tax payer money to issue a take home car to them.

So, no..... let them share it and / or ride with full time officers.

Answer 6

why should any officers get a take home car? they can drive to & from work like every other honest citizen. Why so they can spend tax payer dollars so the can go grocery shopping o to the mall? I've seen it first hand & it's BS! I'm expected as a citizen to uphold the law to some extent, i want a car too then.

Answer 7

Which deputy gets the one available car?

If the department isn't wiling to PAY them, then I don't see them providing a car.