706_-_Vehicle_Use

Policy 706Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentVehicle Use - 1Vehicle Use 706.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy establishes a system of accountability to ensure City-owned vehicles are used appropriately. For the purposes of this policy, "City-owned" includes any vehicle owned, leased or rented by the City. 706.2 POLICY The Department provides vehicles for official business use and may assign take-home vehicles based on its determination of operational efficiency, economic impact to the Department, tactical deployments and other considerations. 706.3 USE OF VEHICLES City-owned vehicles shall only be used for official business and, when approved, for commuting to allow members to respond to department-related business outside their regular work hours. Members shall not operate a City-owned vehicle at any time when impaired by drugs and/or alcohol. Any member operating a vehicle equipped with a two-way communications radio, MDC and/or a GPS device shall ensure the devices are on and set to an audible volume whenever the vehicle is in operation. 706.3.1 SHIFT ASSIGNED VEHICLES Members who use a fleet vehicle as part of their work assignment shall ensure that the vehicle is properly checked out and logged on the daily shift roster, according to current procedures, prior to taking it into service. If for any reason during the shift the vehicle is exchanged, the member shall ensure that the exchanged vehicle is likewise properly noted on the daily shift roster. Members shall be responsible for inspecting the interior and exterior of any assigned vehicle before taking the vehicle into service and at the conclusion of the shift. Any previously unreported damage, mechanical problems, unauthorized contents or other problems with the vehicle shall be promptly reported to a supervisor and documented as appropriate. 706.3.2 UNSCHEDULED USE OF VEHICLES Members utilizing a City-owned vehicle for any purpose other than their regularly assigned duties shall first notify the Watch Commander of the reason for use and place their badge number on the appropriate vehicle hook on the vehicle board. This section does not apply to members permanently assigned an individual vehicle (e.g., command staff, detectives), who regularly use the vehicle on an unscheduled basis as part of their normal assignment. 706.3.3 UNMARKED VEHICLES Except for use by the assigned member, unmarked units shall not be used without first obtaining approval from the supervisor of the unit to which the vehicle is assigned. Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Vehicle Use Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentVehicle Use - 2706.3.4 SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION VEHICLES Special Operations Division vehicle use is restricted to investigative personnel during their assigned work hours unless approved by an Investigative Services Division supervisor. After- hours use of Investigative Services Division vehicles by members not assigned to the Investigative Services Division shall be recorded with the Watch Commander on the shift roster. 706.3.5 AUTHORIZED PASSENGERS Members operating City-owned vehicles shall not permit persons other than City members or persons required to be conveyed in the performance of duty, or as otherwise authorized, to ride as a passenger in their vehicle. 706.3.6 PARKING Except when responding to an emergency or other urgent official business requires otherwise, members driving City-owned vehicles should obey all parking regulations at all times. City-owned vehicles should be parked in their assigned stalls. Members shall not park privately owned vehicles in any stall assigned to a City-owned vehicle or in any other areas of the parking lot that are not designated as a parking space unless authorized by a supervisor. Privately owned motorcycles shall be parked in designated areas. 706.3.7 INSPECTIONS The interior of any vehicle that has been used to transport any person other than a member should be inspected prior to placing another person in the vehicle and again after the person is removed. This is to ensure that unauthorized or personal items have not been left in the vehicle. When transporting any suspect, prisoner or arrestee, the transporting officer shall search all areas of the vehicle that are accessible by the person before and after the person is transported. 706.3.8 PRIVACY All City-owned vehicles are subject to inspection and/or search at any time by a supervisor without notice and without cause. No member assigned to or operating such vehicle shall be entitled to any expectation of privacy with respect to the vehicle or its contents. 706.4 ASSIGNED VEHICLE AGREEMENT Members who have been assigned a take-home vehicle may use the vehicle to commute to the workplace and for department-related business. The member must be approved for an assigned vehicle by his/her Captain. (a)Except as may be provided by a memorandum of understanding time spent during normal commuting is not compensable. (b)City-owned vehicles shall not be used for personal errands or other personal business unless approved by a supervisor for exceptional circumstances. (c)The vehicle shall be parked in secure off-street parking when parked at the member's residence. Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Vehicle Use Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentVehicle Use - 3(d)Vehicles shall be locked when not attended. (e)If the vehicle is not secured inside a locked garage, all firearms and kinetic impact weapons shall be removed from the interior of the vehicle and properly secured in the residence (see the Firearms