Orlando budget battle aims at "take home" police cars

A major budget battle is brewing between Orlando City Hall and the city's cops, with administrators taking aim at a favorite perk: the patrol cars that officers drive home at the end of the day.

Mayor Buddy Dyer's administration has threatened to more than double the fees that officers pay if they take their patrol cars home, or even kill the "take-home vehicle" program altogether. More than 654 cars are now driven home — some as far as Mims, Cocoa and Merritt Island in Brevard County, and Deltona and DeLand in Volusia, with round trips of nearly 100 miles.

"It's a large expense, and that's one reason it's incumbent on us to take a look at it," said Dyer's top manager, Chief Administrative Officer Byron Brooks.

The fees are now relatively low. Officers who live in Orlando pay nothing to take their cars with them at the end of their shifts; those outside city limits pay $70 a month; and those living in other counties pay $90 a month. They don't pay for gasoline, maintenance, tolls or insurance.

Officially, the city is citing its projected $41.5 million budget deficit — and Dyer's proposal to lay off 212 employees, including 36 police officers — as justification for either raising the fee or eliminating the perk altogether. But police union officials say the real reason is their refusal to give up a pay raise they're due next year.

"It's either pressure or retaliatory for us not coming to the negotiating table," said Sam Hoffman, labor chairman for the local Fraternal Order of Police.

Officers have already been told the city will no longer require them to show up — and be paid — for a briefing 15 minutes before their shift begins. That will save the city — and cost the cops — $910,000 a year.

Since 2001, officers have had the choice of taking their patrol cars home, and nearly all of them do. Union leaders defend the practice, saying it allows cops to respond to emergencies quickly, while they're en route to or from work.

"If you're in a vehicle and you're going to work and something goes down like a robbery or a homicide, you can respond directly," said Hoffman. "Ultimately, it's a benefit to the citizens."

Hoffman said it also makes police more visible on the streets and in neighborhoods where the cars are parked in front of officers' homes.

Finally, the cars last longer, city records show. Rather than being driven 24 hours a day by different shifts, they are generally parked while an officer is off-duty. Cars are now replaced after five years or 100,000 miles; the life of a patrol car was typically one to two years before the city instituted the take-home policy.

To have enough cars to assign them to individual officers, the city bought 281 patrol cars over three years, at a cost of $6.3 million, records show.

Orlando police aren't alone. Many law enforcement agencies across the country — including Central Florida's largest, the Orange County Sheriff's Office — allow officers to drive their cars home.

In Orlando, officers are allowed to run errands in their patrol car while driving to and from work, but otherwise aren't supposed to drive them for personal use. Carrying family members is generally prohibited.

Brooks has asked Police Chief Val Demings to determine how much officers would have to pay to cover the city's cost for the vehicles. Brooks also wants Demings' advice on whether the city should eliminate the benefit completely.

"We need to get a fix on the benefits versus the costs of the program," he said.

According to a police department memo obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the fees would have to increase 134 percent to cover the city's cost. That would raise the current $70-a-month fee to $164, and the $90-a-month fee for those outside Orange County to $210. That would raise $600,000 a year if all officers kept their cars.

Hoffman said many cops would simply give them up: "It's a cheap shot. They're probably going to price a number of officers out of taking the vehicles home."

That would cut down the amount of time officers are on the street, he said. At the end of their shifts, officers might have to turn in gear and weapons that are now stored in their vehicles, and check it out again the next day.

Mark Schlueb can be reached at mschlueb@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5417.
Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

The city will see no increase in the amount of fees collected. Enough Officers will opt out of the program giving the city no increase. I just hope every officer parks their car. Then what? There was never enough parking back in the day. And the city wants to take the parkinh at OPH for the new arena.

How long 'til the Kool-Aid drinkers get behind Sir Byron Brooks?

Does Buddy, Becky and Byron really think this is going to save the city money? Anybody remember how long it used to take to get a car ready before we had the take homes? If they keep it a ready car plan we still, by policy, have to check all the fluids everyday and make sure the car is in a safe condition prior to 10-65'ing so that's going to cost them some money in our time right there. I just hope that if they take the cars everybody sticks to their guns by making sure we are paid for our time checking out the cars. I guess they might take the cars out of spite (I really don't think they are trying to raise the take home fees to make the city money) but there is no way it'll ever save the city money. What's it going to do to moral in the agency. I think I fear the moral issue more than losing the cars. Just when it looks like we are close to getting a handle on some of the crime isssues this will bury us in negativity. I never imagined the "leaders" of the city would lower themselves to such a level.

A major budget battle is brewing between Orlando City Hall and the city's cops, with administrators taking aim at a favorite perk: the patrol cars that officers drive home at the end of the day.

Mayor Buddy Dyer's administration has threatened to more than double the fees that officers pay if they take their patrol cars home, or even kill the "take-home vehicle" program altogether. More than 654 cars are now driven home — some as far as Mims, Cocoa and Merritt Island in Brevard County, and Deltona and DeLand in Volusia, with round trips of nearly 100 miles.

"It's a large expense, and that's one reason it's incumbent on us to take a look at it," said Dyer's top manager, Chief Administrative Officer Byron Brooks.

The fees are now relatively low. Officers who live in Orlando pay nothing to take their cars with them at the end of their shifts; those outside city limits pay $70 a month; and those living in other counties pay $90 a month. They don't pay for gasoline, maintenance, tolls or insurance.

Officially, the city is citing its projected $41.5 million budget deficit — and Dyer's proposal to lay off 212 employees, including 36 police officers — as justification for either raising the fee or eliminating the perk altogether. But police union officials say the real reason is their refusal to give up a pay raise they're due next year.

"It's either pressure or retaliatory for us not coming to the negotiating table," said Sam Hoffman, labor chairman for the local Fraternal Order of Police.

Officers have already been told the city will no longer require them to show up — and be paid — for a briefing 15 minutes before their shift begins. That will save the city — and cost the cops — $910,000 a year.

Since 2001, officers have had the choice of taking their patrol cars home, and nearly all of them do. Union leaders defend the practice, saying it allows cops to respond to emergencies quickly, while they're en route to or from work.

"If you're in a vehicle and you're going to work and something goes down like a robbery or a homicide, you can respond directly," said Hoffman. "Ultimately, it's a benefit to the citizens."

Hoffman said it also makes police more visible on the streets and in neighborhoods where the cars are parked in front of officers' homes.

Finally, the cars last longer, city records show. Rather than being driven 24 hours a day by different shifts, they are generally parked while an officer is off-duty. Cars are now replaced after five years or 100,000 miles; the life of a patrol car was typically one to two years before the city instituted the take-home policy.

To have enough cars to assign them to individual officers, the city bought 281 patrol cars over three years, at a cost of $6.3 million, records show.

Orlando police aren't alone. Many law enforcement agencies across the country — including Central Florida's largest, the Orange County Sheriff's Office — allow officers to drive their cars home.

In Orlando, officers are allowed to run errands in their patrol car while driving to and from work, but otherwise aren't supposed to drive them for personal use. Carrying family members is generally prohibited.

Brooks has asked Police Chief Val Demings to determine how much officers would have to pay to cover the city's cost for the vehicles. Brooks also wants Demings' advice on whether the city should eliminate the benefit completely.

"We need to get a fix on the benefits versus the costs of the program," he said.

According to a police department memo obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the fees would have to increase 134 percent to cover the city's cost. That would raise the current $70-a-month fee to $164, and the $90-a-month fee for those outside Orange County to $210. That would raise $600,000 a year if all officers kept their cars.

Hoffman said many cops would simply give them up: "It's a cheap shot. They're probably going to price a number of officers out of taking the vehicles home."

That would cut down the amount of time officers are on the street, he said. At the end of their shifts, officers might have to turn in gear and weapons that are now stored in their vehicles, and check it out again the next day.

Mark Schlueb can be reached at mschlueb@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5417.
Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

The City of Orlando should have a mandatory residency requirement like may departments do, if they are going to allow their officers to have take home vehicles...as a former LEO Colonel, I think it is ridiculous that OPD Officers are allowed to drive their patrol cars to Cocoa Beach and even further. While I agree take home patrol cars do allow officers to respond quickly on the way to work and, possibly, on the way home...driving to Brevard and Volusia counties on gas bought by tax payers is ridiculous! Chief Demings needs to rethink her priorities, as does the union...gas to dirve to Brevard County or jobs.

The City of Orlando should have a mandatory residency requirement like may departments do, if they are going to allow their officers to have take home vehicles...as a former LEO Colonel, I think it is ridiculous that OPD Officers are allowed to drive their patrol cars to Cocoa Beach and even further. While I agree take home patrol cars do allow officers to respond quickly on the way to work and, possibly, on the way home...driving to Brevard and Volusia counties on gas bought by tax payers is ridiculous! Chief Demings needs to rethink her priorities, as does the union...gas to dirve to Brevard County or jobs.

Hey "Former Colonel"....do your research prior to posting. OPD does have a residency requirement, 35 miles or 45 minutes and as someone living in Volusia County I am well within the 45 minute requirement. What was the residency requirement at the agency you used to work at? Its also not Chief Demings fault about "rethinking" her priorities..again READ the article, it's CEO Brooks and Mayor Dyer who want to discontinue the program and/or raise the rates along with cutting the jobs. The chief and the union gave the city numerous options to cut other programs to save jobs but the CEO and mayor chose not to, such as cutting every council member with an assigned officer (something no other local city governement does).

The City of Orlando should have a mandatory residency requirement like may departments do, if they are going to allow their officers to have take home vehicles...as a former LEO Colonel, I think it is ridiculous that OPD Officers are allowed to drive their patrol cars to Cocoa Beach and even further. While I agree take home patrol cars do allow officers to respond quickly on the way to work and, possibly, on the way home...driving to Brevard and Volusia counties on gas bought by tax payers is ridiculous! Chief Demings needs to rethink her priorities, as does the union...gas to dirve to Brevard County or jobs.

Hey "Former Colonel"....do your research prior to posting. OPD does have a residency requirement, 35 miles or 45 minutes and as someone living in Volusia County I am well within the 45 minute requirement. What was the residency requirement at the agency you used to work at? Its also not Chief Demings fault about "rethinking" her priorities..again READ the article, it's CEO Brooks and Mayor Dyer who want to discontinue the program and/or raise the rates along with cutting the jobs. The chief and the union gave the city numerous options to cut other programs to save jobs but the CEO and mayor chose not to, such as cutting every council member with an assigned officer (something no other local city governement does).

My department has a residency requirement that states "an officer must live within a 10 mile radius of police headquarters."

10 miles!!! What city is that Kernal? Bumphuqvilleton? In my evil tax-dollar-wasting-out of county take home car I have written numerous citations, made arrests, assisted in pursuits, assisted motorists, been FIRST on scene to an emergency backup request etc.

These actions were taken inside my jurisdiction while enroute to or from my out of county home. Yes, I did put in for the time, but the action was necessary and the job got done. Civilians are ignorant of the facts so their comments are expected and forgiven. You on the other hand should know better!!

No I'm not OPD.

They dont want to talk about how much money they have saved with a take home car program over the 8 plus years. No one at city hall seems to remember the 5 million we gave back in 2006 and 6 million in 2007 to help the budget. The "we aren't doing our part to help" agrument is BS

The only colonel spot I can think off around this state are with FHP so now we know the Colonel" wasn't a real cop anyway.

They dont want to talk about how much money they have saved with a take home car program over the 8 plus years. No one at city hall seems to remember the 5 million we gave back in 2006 and 6 million in 2007 to help the budget. The "we aren't doing our part to help" agrument is BS

The only colonel spot I can think off around this state are with FHP so now we know the Colonel" wasn't a real cop anyway.

Wow, you OPD cops are ignorant aholes...most of the sheriff's offices in the state have Colonels (and I'm not even in your stupid fight).

[quote="Guest"
Wow, you OPD cops are ignorant aholes...most of the sheriff's offices in the state have Colonels (and I'm not even in your stupid fight).[/quote]

Hold on now "Former Colonel", you posted in OUR forum concerning the issues we are having with the city with take home cars. Your opinion was that our union and chief needed to choose between "cars" or "cops" and you ranted about OPD officers living in Voluisa and Brevard counties and you didn't agree with that. So pal, you stated your opinion, which didn't back the cops, and you inserted yourself in the "stupid fight". Now you gave your opinion in OUR forum so I'll give mine. I highly doubt you were even a cop in Florida or anywhere else and if by some chance you ever did work as a sworn officer it was an agency of about 10 people. A better bet would be that your a security "colonel" who was one of thousands that applied but will never work at OPD. Now keep on trucking buddy and go find your own forum.