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| Should deputies take patrol cars home? |
| By moultrieobserver.com |
| Published: 06/13/2011 |
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MOULTRIE — Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington defended the department’s policy of having employees drive cars home that has faced criticism from one county commissioner during budget talks. During a Thursday interview, Whittington said that take-home vehicles are part of officers’ incentive package, and that marked cars act as a deterrent in neighborhoods where they are parked. In recent budget sessions, Commissioner Winfred Giddens has questioned the practice, including the cost and potential liability if an off-duty officer is involved in a wreck in a county car. The department has 51 cars and trucks, nearly all of which are driven home by the officers who drive them for county business. That includes the sheriff and other administrators, investigative unit, drug unit, school resource officers, road deputies and one jail administrator. Among the rest of the county’s more than 200 employees only about 12 drive home county vehicles. Giddens pointed to one deputy who lives in Lowndes County, which he described as an “extreme case” but said that even the shorter drives add to county expenses. “I guess on average you could save 15 or 20 miles (per employee) per day, and you’re talking a couple of gallons of gas,” he said. “Fifty or 60 gallons of gas a day times five days at $4 a gallon, it really adds up.” Giddens said he does not know if the benefits outlined by Whittington outweigh the monetary costs. “I don’t have a problem with those on call driving them home,” he said. Whittington said that the deputy who drives to Lowndes County oversees the county’s school resource officer program, is working on a master’s degree and is a valuable employee that he is trying to keep on board at the department. Compared to the amount of driving that officers put on vehicles while on duty the driving to and from home is a small percentage of total driving, Whittington said. There also is a trade-off in that there are employees of agencies in other counties who drive their cars home to Colquitt County. “I’ve got guys I can’t promote, they haven’t had a raise in several years,” he said. “The take-home car is part of their compensation. To me this is no different than him getting 12 days’ sick leave or paid vacation.” Read More. |
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