040 - TAKE-HOME VEHICLE PROGRAM

TAKE-HOME VEHICLE PROGRAM EFFECTIVE DATE: 05/01/93 STANDARD NO. 040 REVISED: 07/19/22 REPLACES: SOP Take Home Vehicle 20-01.1-5 – Rev. 01/01/03; 12/08/11; Rev. 02/01/18 OBJECTIVE: To provide all officers with the policies, rules and regulations that will govern the operation of the Take-Home Vehicle Program. POLICY: The Homestead Police Department (HPD) has implemented a Take-Home Vehicle Program. A successful take-home vehicle program saves money, instills ownership with the police vehicle, gives the appearance of increased police presence, and improves morale. SCOPE: All employees of this Department shall be governed by the procedures set forth below. I. DISCUSSION: A. Program Goals: 1. Promote the security of the citizens of Homestead by greater visibility and presence of vehicles on the streets, highways and neighborhoods. 2. Deter crime by limiting the opportunity of criminals to commit an act by the presence of more vehicles. 3. Provide quicker response time to certain types of emergency calls and therefore, increase the opportunity to apprehend criminals. 4. Reduce the yearly mileage on each vehicle, therefore increasing the vehicle life. 5. Reduce maintenance cost on vehicles in the fleet. 6. Provide increased incentive and morale of the officers participating in the program. 7. Maintain the vehicles in top condition through preventative maintenance and personalized assignment. II. PROCEDURES: A. Vehicles will be assigned to sworn officers at the discretion of the Chief of Police, or designee. The Chief of Police may, at his discretion, assign vehicles to other appointed personnel and establish rules and procedures for their use. B. The use of the vehicle for hours other than normally scheduled duty shall be considered a privilege and not an automatic benefit or employment right. C. The Chief of Police, or designee, shall have authority to assign, deny, suspend, or remove any employee of the Department from the Take-Home Vehicle Program. Take-Home Vehicles – SOP# 040 D. Assigned vehicles under this program are for use within the boundaries of the City of Homestead. Use of an assigned vehicle is restricted to official business only to include, commuting to and from work, attending court, police-related training, or when assigned to work an off-duty detail. Any other use of an employee’s assigned City vehicle must be pre-approved by the Chief of Police, or designee. E. The commuting boundaries are from Flagler Street, Miami, on the North end, to Mile Marker 95, (Monroe County) on the South end, from the Bay on the East, to the county line on the West. F. REGULATIONS: 1. Officers shall not presume any special privileges while off duty. Operators will conform to all state and local laws and regulations regarding traffic and parking. 2. Any officer participating in this program and who will be off for a period exceeding ten (10) working days shall return the vehicle to the Department. Said vehicles shall remain at the Department until the return of the officer. Routine or extraordinary maintenance should be scheduled for this period. The vehicles are not to be used for any reason without specific approval from the Chief of Police, or designee. “Off Duty” in this case shall be considered any period of time where an employee is not physically at his/her assigned duty, i.e., annual leave, conventions, military leave, bereavement leave, holiday leave, sick leave, administrative leave, worker’s compensation. 3. Probationary Police Officers (PPO) will not be permitted to take home their assigned patrol vehicle while participating in the Field Training Officers Program (FTOP). The PPO will only utilize their assigned vehicle while on duty provided they remain under the direct supervision of their Field Training Officer (FTO) who is riding in the car with the PPO. When the FTO believes the PPO is fully capable of participating in the take-home vehicle program without restriction, the FTO shall convey this belief to the Field Training Sergeant (FTS) and the FTS will then recommend the PPO’s participation in the take-home program to the Uniform Patrol Captain. The Chief of Police or his designee has the authority to allow a PPO full participation in the department's take-home vehicle program at any time.