Mayor Andy Berke eases take-home police car policy

Mayor Andy Berke speaks during a news conference Monday in City Hall.

Calling it “misguided,” Mayor Andy Berke on Monday moved to ease a city policy that governs take-home police cars and had angered officers since it was instituted in 2011.

Henceforth, Chattanooga police officers who live outside the city will only have to pay to drive department-issued vehicles from their homes to the city limits instead of to the police service center on Amnicola Highway.

“Part of addressing public safety is the morale in our police and fire departments,” Berke said at a news conference. “For too long, we’ve had a misguided policy regarding our take-home cars.”