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New unmarked police car faces roadblock
(by Sue Reid - October 22, 2008)
New unmarked police car faces roadblock
By SUE REID
The question of whether village police officers should use their own vehicles and be reimbursed for mileage for administrative trips generated discussion and debate last week by South Russell Village Council.
Discussion initially focused on whether an unmarked car for the police department should be purchased this year or next.
Councilman James Flaiz, who chairs the safety committee, said the intent of the discussion was to gauge whether council wants to move forward with the purchase for 2008 or delay it for the 2009 budget. The thought of the committee was that, if the village purchases it this year, it would provide relief for the 2009 budget, which is tight, he said.
Councilman John Binder said he's not convinced that the department needs five vehicles. If it's not for patrol duty, officers can use their own cars and be reimbursed for mileage, he suggested. "We should see if that's a suitable alternative."
"Police departments don't have officers driving personal vehicles," Mr. Flaiz said. "I don't know if it's fair to ask officers" to do that.
"Our recommendation is that we should not go that direction. We looked at a lot of surrounding police departments, and we can't find one that doesn't utilize at least one administrative vehicle," Mr. Flaiz said.
"Also, from an auditing standpoint, I would much rather have our officers using a village vehicle when performing official duties rather than driving their own vehicle and turning in mileage reimbursement."
Mr. Binder said he was not referring to using the car for patrol duty but for such matters as going to educational classes out of the area. "This would be for after hours," such as officers having to run to the Geauga County offices in Chardon when they are not on duty, he said. "I'd like to have us take a look at paying them the IRS rate per mile."
Mr. Binder said village officers do not use the unmarked vehicle very often. "I'm not seeing the sense of spending that kind of money with the uncertainty that is ahead of us," he said. To spend well over $20,000 for a vehicle that the village puts "well less than 10,000 miles a year" does not make sense, he said.
The village only has two-man police shifts, Mr. Binder said. "I'm not convinced we need five police vehicles, especially not at this time."
Mr. Flaiz said the current unmarked vehicle for the police department is a 1997 Dodge Intrepid. It recently underwent routine maintenance, and the mechanic advised the village not to use it, he said. "It's rusting out really bad."
Mr. Flaiz said the village's service department was going to purchase a new one-ton truck, but one of the village employees, who is a mechanic, was able to extend the life of the vehicle. So money is available in this year's budget for the police vehicle, he said.
The thought of the committee is to purchase a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry sedan, Mr. Flaiz said. "Historically, police departments have purchased unmarked vehicles that are like police cruisers such as a Crown Victoria. Generally, those are very large vehicles with poor gas mileage," he said. "Our thought is, if this car is going to be used mainly administratively, then do something more fuel efficient and reliable."
Police Chief James Wetzel, who would be the primary operator of the vehicle, said the one suggested by the committee will meet the department's needs.
"I wasn't warm and fuzzy over an Accord or Camry for a village police car," Mayor Matthew E. Brett said, with respect to them being foreign cars, "but fuel efficiency is compelling."
Mr. Flaiz noted that the Crown Victorias are manufactured in Canada, and the Accord is manufactured in Ohio.
Council is to continue discussion at its next meeting later this month.
Mr. Flaiz said, if council is open to the purchase for this year, the next step would be to approve a motion to go out for bid.
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