Car policy imposes a pay reduction
Mayor Ron Littlefield’s decision to charge a fee to officers for police take-home cars misses two important points:
1. The citizens benefit from a take-home car program.
2. Take-home cars have been used as a form of compensation, which is being reduced.
Citizens benefit by having many police officers on the street and available for response to serious calls. I am a retired police officer and many times provided police services while “off duty” in a city take-home car. Also, as part of a team that was subject to emergency, off-duty callouts, my response time was expedited by having the city car in my driveway. These days, it is wise policy to have as many officers as possible who can rapidly respond to an emergency.