Here’s a story in the news about take home cars for the Sherriff’s department.
It’s late, so I’ll just respond to my favorite parts:
In contrast to Brown, however, Howard expressed no concerns about his department’s take-home autos when interviewed recently. But Howard agreed more than he disagreed with the deputies complaining about the patrol fleet. He made these points:
• “There are police agencies in the country that actually believe in assigning all of their personnel take-home cars,” he said, explaining that a police car in a driveway — even an unmarked car recognizable as a police car — indicates an officer is nearby.
Yes. In towns with one Sherrif I’m sure that he takes the car home, because if criminals are afoot they’re the only one who’s gonna come a’gunnin’
• Are all his cars safe?
“A lot of our fleet is more than three years old and relatively high mileage. I wouldn’t describe anything in service now as unsafe. But I think a better word would be to say, not reliable . . . older vehicles have just normal mechanical breakdowns.”
Fancy Speak for no. I would love to chase down the perp but the wheel fell off my cruiser.
• He believes every take-home vehicle can be justified. For example, Doyle, his administrative chief, often works weekends or late into the evening and should not be expected to tie up a personal car that his family might need, Howard said.
Thats what work does. It ties up a car. Until we invent cars that drive you to work and them drive themselves home, everyone is in the same boat on this one. And of course he thinks every take-home vechile can be justified. He’s the one justifying them.
Patronik, his technical services official, has responded from home to cases of missing youths, and his skill in retrieving e-mail has revealed a child’s whereabouts, Howard said.
• Howard wants to be able to call his appointees to work when needed.
“If I ever say, meet me at the office, I don’t have to hear, well, my wife has the car,” he said.
Show me a family that only has one car and I’ll show you someone who churns their own butter. And do people in the private sector get that same luxury. “Gee boss, I’d love to come into work today, but the Misses is using the car to take the pool boy home, and that takes an hr and a half even though he only lives 5 minutes from here. Guess I’m going to be late”
• The cars are for official use only.
“A single gross violation would result in their loss of the car,” Howard said. “Maybe not forever, but at least for a period of time.”
And who, might I ask, would turn a fellow officer in for using his car for non-offical use? Do they put a Sherriff out there to look for the Trailblazer helping a friend move?
• The superintendent of his Holding Center, Robert Koch, and Correctional Facility, Donald Livingston, often go to their facilities at odd hours, “either because of emergencies or to make checks,” Howard said.
Meet the only two men in the world who work “odd hours”, Robert Koch and Donald Livingston.
Wouldn’t their personal car get them there?
“It would,” the sheriff said, “but would it be fair to expect them to do that?”
When my boss calls me into work at 12:30 at night, I don’t ask him to call a cab to get me there on his dollar. I go to work. So yes, I think would be fair to ask them to use there own car to get to and from work.
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I understand this sounds terribly anti-law enforcement, but its not meant to be as such. Its more along the lines of how many perks do people need, particularly those making enough money in the first place. And as the article states, this isn’t about the patrol cars, its about the people behind the scenes that seem to get the best rides.
