The Columbus City Council continues to study a proposed policy governing how police officers would be allowed to take home vehicles.
A lax policy allows officers to take home their assigned cars even if they live out of state. The policy has come under scrutiny since a Columbus Police Department corporal resigned during an investigation into his use of a police cruiser to handle personal business in Alabama.
There also apparently are no residency rules for the CPD; officers can choose to live in another city or state and commute to Columbus.
By contrast, the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Department requires its deputies to live in the state and within reasonable driving distance of their jurisdiction.
“Our policy is basically this: Officers with Columbus Police Department can take their cars home with them. They just cannot use them to run personal errands when they are off duty,” Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John explained.
Sheriffs deputies can use their vehicles to run errands during down time, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Butch Howard.
“If they are on duty, and they need to go pay a light bill or pick up a loaf of bread, they can do so. I don”t have a problem with that,” said Howard. “They just cannot use them for personal use when they”re off duty. For instance, they cannot use them to pick up kids from school or take the family out to dinner.
Several years ago, a deputy lived outside of Lowndes County just inside the Clay County line, which didn”t present a problem.
“If they lived inside the city limits of Starkville or West Point, that could be a problem,” Howard noted.
Currently, all sheriff”s deputies live in Lowndes County.
One Columbus police officer lives in Alabama and is allowed to take his patrol car home, St. John said.
“He is with the K-9 Unit, so he is allowed to take his car home,” St. John said of the officer. Shift supervisors, investigative officers and administrative personnel are allowed to take their assigned vehicles home.
Aside from the officer who lives in Alabama, all Columbus police officers live in Lowndes County, St. John said. He did not offer numbers when asked how many officers outside the city limits.
As a part of St. John”s proposals, the City Council is considering residency requirements for the police department.
“We have reviewed our policies and have made recommendations to the City Council, who is taking them under consideration,” said St. John.
City Attorney Jeff Turnage said the council is looking at the policy”s language to see what, if anything needs to be reconsidered.
“The mayor is still studying it, and has not made a decision on it,” said Columbus” chief operating officer, David Armstrong.
The City Council did not discuss the proposed changes at their Jan. 5 meeting. The council meets again Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. at the Columbus Municipal Complex on Main Street. The agenda for this meeting has not been released yet.
Lowndes County District 1 Supervisor and Board President Harry Sanders is glad deputies can use patrol cars at various times. He sees it as a crime-prevention tool.
“First, it gives citizens a sense of comfort knowing that a deputy is present nearby,” said Sanders. “Plus, if there is the presence of the criminal element, it could serve as a deterrent for them.”
But law enforcement agents taking home cars — especially when they live several miles away — also means they”ll have to be replaced sooner.
The city of Columbus purchased seven new Ford Crown Victoria police cars during the 2008-09 fiscal year, at a price tag of at least $20,000 each, said Armstrong.
“They are purchased under state contract — Watson Quality Ford of Jackson,” he said.
During the same time frame, Lowndes County purchased at least 10 new cars through a state contract, at a cost of $20,000 each, Lowndes County Administrator Ralph Billingsley said.
“When we replace cars, it is on a mileage basis,” Billingsley said. “When our officers put over 300,000 miles on a car, it begins to cause concerns about maintenance costs.”
Allen Baswell was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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