Police departments dealing with the gas pinch

[Disgusted-Daily]

www.wktv.com/news/local/19542474.html

This article is a little disturbing to me. Does this mean are taxes will go sky high to pay the added fuel price increase or will our Patrol Cars be sitting still instead of patrolling our streets?

Kind of a no-win situation for the tax payers. We obviously don't want higher taxes but don't want to loose the safety of our communities.

So what is the answer? Middaugh is quoted as saying "I told the deputies if you're going to be in a vehicle for an extended period of time, then shut it off so you can conserve gas." Is he kidding me? With all the gear these guys wear including a heavy and hot vest they are now to sit in a hundred degree car in the summer with the car off and no air condition. Wow! I hope I don't get stopped by that Deputy haha.

Can you imagine getting pulled over and the Deputy walks up to your car and as you look at him it appears that he just ran 100 miles.

I thought I read at one time that your car would use more gas to start than in idle. Also the wear and tear on the starter and other mechanical components. If we are going to spend just as much or more in repairs to save some gas then what have we really saved?

How about that Convict your transporting in a hot van with no air because your trying to save gas and he sues the County for cruel and unusual punishment. No matter how frivolous this maybe it will cost the County Tax Payers more in the end.

What is the right answer you ask? Well hell if I know, but somebody is making a whole lot more money than me to figure that one out. I would think they will do better than what has been mentioned so far.

[concerned]

Maybe they should increase there horse patrol. It is probably cheaper to have horses. Of course then we would need more DPW workers to clean up all the crap.

[dgriffin]

Not a horse. Instead, a Segway!


Maybe these would be better:


See demo at:

[concerned]

I like that idea alot. Maybe the UPD uniform could be changed into a gladiator uniform. This just might be what Utica needs to get us back on the map.

[Ralph]

Not for nothing, but Middaugh has a point. I see Officers in cars running while doing their paperwork, sitting and talking with each other car-to-car, etc. At some point they can turn them off.

Of course the same holds true for the DPW, Codes, Water Authority, etc.

I know cars are hot, hell my van gets hot!!! But I leave the AC off and the windows open.
They would probably hear a whole lot more of what is going on in the neighborhood at the same time as well.

And I am not trying to belittle them at all, I know they wear a lot of equipment, and I know from my own experience that the vest and all the assorted gear is hotter than hell in the summer……
But……..We have Military in the Mid-East that wear a helluva lot more, get paid a helluva lot less, don’t have AC period, and they don’t get to go home at night.

At what point to we begin to conserve where we can? There are alternatives for patrols, just because we have all those cars available doesn’t mean that everyone must be manned on every shift.

[lucy]

Ralph I must say I agree with everything that you said.

[Disgusted-Daily]

Yeah but Ralph they get to shoot people and blow things up. Can you say AA12.