They may say “Salt Lake City Police” on the sides, but the cars can be seen almost anywhere along the Wasatch Front as officers drive to and from work.
But a memo from Salt Lake City’s police union warns that some officers are opting out of a policy that allowed them to drive patrol cars home. The issue is insurance.
Salt Lake City has informed officers that it will carry only the minimum amount of car insurance required by state law. If officers are at fault in an accident when they are driving their patrol cars off duty, they may have to pay for the balance of the damages.
“After learning this information several officers have turned their vehicles in to protect themselves from liability,” says a memo from the Salt Lake Police Association to its members.
“An officer was involved in an at-fault accident,” the memo adds. “The officer is potentially facing $60,000 in liability. The city only covered the state minimums.”
A statement from Salt Lake City police administration says this is not a new policy.
“The Salt Lake City Police Department is proud to offer an optional take home vehicle program,” the statement reads.
“Employees participating in this program are encouraged — not required — to carry supplemental automobile insurance for an at-fault crash to cover any damages beyond the state minimum liability coverage.”
“We recognize this policy has recently generated concerns and questions from some employees. The Salt Lake City Police Department is working to provide employees with more information related to the optional take home vehicle program.”
Driving home a patrol car is considered a benefit to both peace officers and the public, says William Vegas, police chief in Sunnyvale, Texas, who has written about take-home cars.
“So we've recruited the officer, what do we do now to keep the officer?” Vegas asked.
“I have found, in my career, that the take home car seems to be the most beneficial, that seems to be the one that the officers like the most.”
The cars also give officers a place to store gear. Vegas says the public benefits from having police cars on the road more often and there’s a visual deterrent when they sit in neighborhood driveways between shifts.
“The wear and tear on the vehicle when there's only one person that's using it is far, far less and less expensive, when it's just that one person as opposed to when it's a pool car,” Vegas said.
FOX 13 News asked some other law enforcement agencies — or their insurers — what their policies are. The Utah Counties Indemnity Pool provides insurance to rural counties in Utah. Its director said it covers vehicles driven by off-duty deputies. No extra insurance is required.
On Friday, the union representing Salt Lake City’s 450 police officers sent a statement that read, "insurance companies either will not provide any option for coverage, or the two companies confirmed to do so will cover liability only.
“This can and unfortunately will negatively impact the citizens of Salt Lake City if the officers are forced to turn in their vehicles to protect their families from liability. It will drastically increase the response times during emergencies and call outs.
“This issue has had a profound effect on the morale of the officers working here at Salt Lake City Police Department and their frustration has been building due to the lack of communication and candor from Salt Lake City.”
Read the SLPA statement here:
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