08 September 2006

FWPD Take Home Car policy changes?

CIty Council heard from Rusty York about his "idea" for the current police car take home policy, and for ONCE, he's on the right track. What the chief wants to do is CHARGE the officers based on WHERE THEY LIVE...(seems I remember saying something about that already). If you live IN the city, you pay $10...10 miles OUTSIDE the city - $15...and up to 30 miles away -$20.
Now since most of the officers live anywhere BUT on the SOUTH side (highest crime area), to ME...that makes good sense. Maybe it would provide some "impetus" to get officers to live HERE, where their mere presence would deter a LOT of the crap that goes on here every day.
But the officers don't feel it's "fair", and although I can sympathize with the pay a lot of them make versus the hazards they can incur, the officers ARE (now) getting a "second family car" for basically FREE (at the taxpayers' expense). So, I feel that having them pay (a relative PITTANCE compared with what the REST of us have to pay at the pumps) is only fair in the best way possible for all concerned. It will be interesting to see where this winds up.
Hopefully, the "plan" will be implemented, more officers will move back INTO Ft. Wayne (preferably down HERE), and we can start to reap the benefits of having greater police visability to stem the rising tide of crime.
As I have said before, making the officers LIVE in the area they patrol (i.e. the same QUADRANT) doesn't place them at a greater risk for reprisal from the thugs, but it DOES allow the officers to become as familiar with an area, as say I am with MY area. And like I also stated...*I* am not EVEN on the FWPD payroll (considering ALL the information I pass along GRATIS to them). I say let the officers pay the "surcharge" (if you wish to call it that) for the PRIVILEGE of having a TAKE HOME police car. It's not that much, and it's not like asking for your first-born child.

And it is a better alternative than not allowing ANY take home cars at all, right?

1 comment:

Jana said...

sounds like a good idea to me! and it makes sense!