My point was: It is a legitimate and reasonable use of public funds for idle cruisers to be driven home by key personnel, rather than to be left parked at the police station.  Further, that when this happens, some latitude should be shown in allowing officers in uniform to pick up a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread, or to otherwise make a personal stop or two on the way to or from home.

 

This is not to say that an officer should dye his hair orange, paint his face with tiger stripes, load up a cruiser with beer and drive his buddies to the next Bengals-Browns game in Cleveland on the Public dime.

 

I don't see Middletowns crime rate as anywhere near a level that requires that kind of Police Fleet.

 

I agree with you on the taking the car home.  I had not thought of that.  You make a really good point.  There are a lot of good ways to save money.  It just takes some good common sense and allowing the public to help.  We are all in this together.  That is one of reasons I like this forum - we all can help each other using different point of views.  I just wish the city managment would open there eyes and see what is important to the citizens, and quit treating us like we are gradeschoolers that don't know any better.

You are correct.  If I am not mistaken, even on night shifts on Fridays and Saturdays there are only 8 patrolmen persons patrol officers on the streets.  However, the "Middletown math" appeared to be confusing enough, and I thought that I had made my point.

 

However, I disagree with you about cruisers being taken home...I am in favor of it!!  (I wish that a police officer lived nest door to me and left his cruiser parked in front of my house every night.)  In fact, I think it's fine for the officer to stop at the bank and at the grocery store on the way home in his cruiser.  Actually, any de minimis use is fine...and any use while the officer is in uniform.

 

If I'm in a spot late at night that requires more police, or one or more specially trained officers, I want them to be able to hop in a crusier and roll to the scene ASAP, lit up and with sirens as needed!  The few bucks it costs to let them use the (otherwise idle) cruisers for commuting and an occasion errand are fine by me.  (It'll be fine by you, too, the first time you need them in a hurry.  How quickly do you want the "hostage negotiater" to get there, if YOU are the hostage?)