Gas restrictions

Is any other district on gas restrictions?

The Southwest has been told to park their vehicles when they get to the park and....

A. Ride the ATV

B. Walk

C. Ride a bike if they have one


They are also not allowed to patrol more than one park in a day.

They are not allowed to do any patroling in vehicles. They were told that if they do, there will not be enough money for them to patrol at the end of they year.

Maybe if half of the operating budget did not go to the office in Ft. Myers.

Then, there is also the one Lt. that uses all of the gas that the other officers save by running needlessly from county to county all week long to make sure that he keeps his thumb nice and heavy on his officers.
Nevermind that they all see him on Fridays when they drive their paperwork to him...paperwork that they BETTER have. You know quotas and all.


Just wondering if any of you other districts are under the same restrictions?

It has not changed. It was like that from the start. Dude enjoy the ride, but don't use any gas. :lol:

Possibly one thing that could be done is to put the $$ officers pay for their off duty vehicle usage back into the O & M budget. My understanding is that currently those monies go out of the division. I don't know if it is a statutory issue or a bureaucratic one, but if those funds could be somehow recovered by the division, they could help to offset the fuel expense crisis that occurs toward the end of every fiscal year.

It probably comes as no surprise that in some districts, officers are paying hundreds of dollars a month for the off duty use of their patrol vehicles. But thousands of extra miles, maintenance, fuel and tolls come at the expense of an entity that has a fixed budget. It is, of course, within the officers' rights under the union contract to work off duty.

Fuel costs are rising and will continue to do so. Maybe if the division (and I'm sure this isn't limited to DEP) found a way to put this money back in the operating fund, the union would support it. I mean, if it gets too bad, an "Emergency" could be declared and off duty use of vehicles curtailed.

I don't think anyone wants that to happen. If it's a statutory issue, maybe we can work with the PBA to change it. It certainly won't solve the problem entirely, but it's a start.

I've been placed on serious restriction. Not by the department but by my wife. I'm no longer allowed to eat burritos. - Too much gas.

Hey, don't quit your day job. :roll: