Agenda - Council - 02/11/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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We h~trM~er had, ~n the police de~nt, a writr~en ~li~ re~~ ~e ~r~l u~ o~ s~d vehicles. P~ly ~e biggest ~n ~or ~is is ~t ~r~nal use, in one way deEin~g i~, ~never ~en ~lo~ed. BM ~rsonal ~e I ~ility ~ ~ ~city vehicle Eot ~ses of o~er ~ ~s~t~n ~d ~r~ ~rk ~d ~en only ~der ce~in s~cific c!~~ces. O~er uses ~ould ~ ~e use of ~e car ~o non-work related si~es ~d ~Y o~er ~rsonaI ~rsonal use ~ot~ directly related to work for ~e City. I. ~ ~ast~ ~e newly created Detective has used ~e ~ked inv~a~ion car for a couple of reasons~ one is still some~at va~ ~d ~e o~er was not found to ~ a need. First, ~e DetectiV~ is~ allowed somewhat of a discretion as to ~e hours he re~s ZO~ w~rk, de~nding on his need to conduct follow-up wi~ personS.~ I~ sometimes works ~at he will check in se~ice ~d~ire~tly 9o ~o a suspect, a complain~t, wi~ess or o~er locatl~ o~ will t~ to catch someone at home at a later hour ~d ~e~ go,home directly. Secondly, I had supposed ~at ~e occasion ~y~arise with some fre~ency~at ~e detective ma~ have to he ~a~le~ out to assist ~e patrol in ~ investigation. To date ~is has,not occurred ~d wi~ the patrol well trained ~d encourage~ t9 do ~eir o~ investigation largely, it is not likely ~at ~e ~etective will be called out. As for patr9l use, sometimes ~ officer is allowed to ~ke ~e squad~ h~m~ i~ he is doing a "come-back" (working ~til ll,~pm ~d ~c~mi~ back on duty at 6,3~ ~e next day). This allows him ~o~ ch~ck out at home a few minutes prior to end of shiit ~d ~o ~he~k in directly irom his driveway at ~63~, ~ereby allowing ~e Pff~cer to get a little extra sleep. In extremely cold weather kt ~ms been beneficial for one of our officers t~e home hi~S~s~ad since he has a heated g~age ~d ~e c~ is kept inside.. ~Th~s benefit is to us in ~at it is easier on ~e squad generally ~o ~ stored inside. ~ile I ~ee~ these continue to be valid reasons ~e need is not so urgent~or ~ompelling ~at it must he a part of a ~uture policy howeve~ if~ a policy is to be drafted I think ~ere is merit to havim~ a~ depa~ment head he ~le to au~orize a car he used for a need such t~ing it home when ~e ~si-~ersonal as person lives~ 9e~, Say, Minneapolis ~d has a semin~ there in ~e mo~ing. ~.It ~ay make sense to go directly from home ~d not have to drive ~to the city hall, pick up ~e city vehicle ~d ~en go hack ~e s~e ~oute to ~e seining. We have ~ ~e past discussed a 't~e-home" policy for poli~e squads coasi~in~ m~y o~er factors such as one s~ad per officer. In ~iS~situation the officers would t~e ~eir assigned cars {hom$ ~d could use ~em for local ~rsonal use wi~ ~e idea ~at ~iS would ~crease visibility/presence ~d would be on-~-a~r at all times in ~e event of ~ emergency or o~er presSin~ ne~d. This would also obviate ~e need for finding a plac~ tS park n~erous units at ~e City Hall. This pl~ has been sc~hed however ~d is not likely to resurface soon. ! ! HGA 77