Patrol Car Use

[Zimmy]

This is probably going to sound stupid, but I have a couple of questions about the use of a take home car.

First, does the department you are with issue you a credit card for getting gas?

Second, are you allowed to use it to say like get groceries, or run an errand as long as you pay for the gas you personally pay for the gas you use.

[mcsap]

My PD only allows the top two positions to take their cars home. Being as I am number 4......I have to leave my Gov ride at work.
And we do have a gas only CC in each cruiser for a Sheetz store ( our form of a 7-11).

[marinepilot]

I have a take home car and I don't get issued a credit card because of the districts I patrol. We have a couple places throughout the county where the county maintains fuel pumps. I carry a little key fob that's a computer chip of some sort, and I have to punch in a bunch of numbers and then press this fob into a slot, and then the pump will dispense gas for me. Those in the father, outlying precincts and districts are given fuel credit cards, and then just turn the receipts in each night they are used.

As for what I am allowed to use my car for, it's basically anything work related. I'm not supposed to use it for picking up groceries, but sometimes I have to as my other vehicles are being used (wife has one and oldest daughter drives the other) and I can't pick up a couple gallons of milk on my motorcycle! For the most part, our agency is pretty lax on use of the car as long as you monitor the radio channel of the area you're driving through and respond as necessary (usually only for Officer in Trouble calls). And I don't pay for any of the gas since I'm barely driving it anywhere compared to the 200+ miles I put on it during a patrol night.

[Zimmy]

I have a take home car and I don't get issued a credit card because of the districts I patrol. We have a couple places throughout the county where the county maintains fuel pumps. I carry a little key fob that's a computer chip of some sort, and I have to punch in a bunch of numbers and then press this fob into a slot, and then the pump will dispense gas for me. Those in the father, outlying precincts and districts are given fuel credit cards, and then just turn the receipts in each night they are used.

As for what I am allowed to use my car for, it's basically anything work related. I'm not supposed to use it for picking up groceries, but sometimes I have to as my other vehicles are being used (wife has one and oldest daughter drives the other) and I can't pick up a couple gallons of milk on my motorcycle! For the most part, our agency is pretty lax on use of the car as long as you monitor the radio channel of the area you're driving through and respond as necessary (usually only for Officer in Trouble calls). And I don't pay for any of the gas since I'm barely driving it anywhere compared to the 200+ miles I put on it during a patrol night.

I have a motorcycle also so it would be nice if I could have some trunk space when I need it. I will probably just end up selling it and buying a car anyways.

Thanks for the answers guys.

[kels]

I am on call all weekend. Therefore, I can take my work truck anywhere in the county.
This would include the grocery store.
I am usually in a soft uniform and wearing a gunbelt.
I do have a credit card for getting fuel, however we usually get it at the county shop.

[retdetsgt]

Patrol officers don't have take home cars at my old department, but Lts and above do as well as some investigators who are on call. When I was on call, I used the car for everything as they wanted me in it and available when necessary. We don't have credit cards, we can gas up at any police precinct or any other city facility for that matter.

Lts and above are supposed to only use theirs for to and from work. A captain got into trouble when he had a wreck in his over a weekend and the city didn't want to cover him.

Also if anyone with a takehome car takes more than three days vacation, they have to return the car to their office. Chief included.