Shutting down patrol cars

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Shutting down patrol cars

Posted: 1/26/2017 6:19:13 PM EDT

Anyone's agency encourage or require officers to shut down patrol cars while an officer is out on a call or at the station?

Posted: 1/26/2017 8:34:38 PM EDT

[#1]

Our policy requires you to turn your car off and secure it while out on a call... common sense applies. If you park and go inside Wal-Mart to take a shoplifting report and/or make an arrest, turn your shit off. If you get out at the SO to piss, check your box, stop by supply, etc., turn your shit off. If you get out of your car to talk to someone, remove something from the roadway, etc., no, you don't have to turn your car off.

It is a good policy IMO.

Posted: 1/26/2017 10:53:38 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
Our policy requires you to turn your car off and secure it while out on a call... common sense applies. If you park and go inside Wal-Mart to take a shoplifting report and/or make an arrest, turn your shit off. If you get out at the SO to piss, check your box, stop by supply, etc., turn your shit off. If you get out of your car to talk to someone, remove something from the roadway, etc., no, you don't have to turn your car off.

It is a good policy IMO.

View Quote

Basically ours right here.

Some of the supervisors will steal your car and make you walk for it if they catch you at it. I'm fine with that.

If you have to leave your lights going for some reason, you have to leave it running. All those lights will kill the battery QUICK.

Posted: 1/27/2017 12:09:26 AM EDT

[#3]

That depends, many departments have in car repeaters that tie to the radio in the car, many of the radios if not running at 13.8 volts will not function properly.

I know State has to keep cars running the complete shift since the officers portable won't reach the towers, so the car broadcasts and repeats the portable.

Posted: 1/27/2017 2:11:22 AM EDT

[#4]

I can't speak towards policy really, nor habits of individual officers, but at the department I reserve at, all of our marked (and most of the unmarked) squads all have a button to push so you can turn the key to off and remove it, while allowing the engine to run. If you press the brake without the key, it cuts out.

From what I can tell, no one seems to turn off their vehicles often, even when in the station or whatnot. I have also have had the pleasure of walking blocks to retrieve squads that officers left behind in a foot chase. They have always been locked, but running with no key.

Posted: 1/27/2017 1:14:37 PM EDT

[#5]

We don't have policy on that. We normally leave our on the entire shift.

Posted: 1/27/2017 1:25:08 PM EDT

[#6]

If you're outside of about double arm's reach of the car, turn it off and lock it.

Posted: 1/27/2017 3:57:23 PM EDT

[#7]

If I'm in sight of my car I'll leave it on

If I'm going into an apartment complex or house then I'll turn it off and lock it simply because our rifles/shotguns can only be unlocked while the car is running

Posted: 1/27/2017 9:39:33 PM EDT

[#8]

They don't want marked units idling at the curb for extended periods of time.

Posted: 1/28/2017 12:41:11 AM EDT

[#9]

Our policy says that we are supposed to turn them off when out of sight of them EXCEPT during "inclement" weather. If its super cold or hot like it gets here in michigan during winter and summer we are allowed to leave them running and locked. Some of our cars are set up with "Safe Stop" switches which allow you to hit the switch, take the keys with you and lock up. Car stays running but if the gear shift is moved, brake is applied etc it kills the engine. Should be standard on any LE package ride if you ask me.

Knock on wood, we've never had an issue with a car being taken etc and we are a ghetto dept.

J-

Posted: 1/29/2017 10:17:50 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
I can't speak towards policy really, nor habits of individual officers, but at the department I reserve at, all of our marked (and most of the unmarked) squads all have a button to push so you can turn the key to off and remove it, while allowing the engine to run. If you press the brake without the key, it cuts out.

From what I can tell, no one seems to turn off their vehicles often, even when in the station or whatnot. I have also have had the pleasure of walking blocks to retrieve squads that officers left behind in a foot chase. They have always been locked, but running with no key.

View Quote

This. Ours also has it where if you engage the parking brake at anytime the motor will go into high idle. I'm not sure of the exact benefits but I know it helps with AC and someone said it's easier on the alternator, esp with lights in. Useful for diesels in the winter. A diesel engine will cool off at idle in cold temps and you can say bye bye heater.

Disclaimer, some of the above info is from ambulances also

Posted: 1/30/2017 8:25:23 PM EDT

[#11]

all of our cars are equipped with safe stop so we can leave it running and take the keys. as a matter of my own policy, I don't shut our cars off because most of them are so out of whack they may not start again..

Posted: 2/2/2017 3:55:29 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you're outside of about double arm's reach of the car, turn it off and lock it.

View Quote

This. I turn mine off pretty much any time I leave it other than on a traffic stop.

Posted: 2/2/2017 5:23:57 PM EDT

[#13]

Ignition bypass. Take the keys out, lock it up, and leave it running.

Posted: 2/2/2017 5:57:53 PM EDT

[#14]

Policy is essentially use your best judgement. We have garages so they always get turned off when back at the station. But when outside it really depends on the time of year. Winter, let it run. Summer, shut it down. Lock it if more than 5' away.

Posted: 2/3/2017 3:26:31 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ignition bypass. Take the keys out, lock it up, and leave it running.

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I wish ours had that feature.

Posted: 2/4/2017 12:49:39 PM EDT

[#16]

Supposed to turn them off when out of the car unless it's above 80 degrees or below 40, but it's never enforced since most of our cameras will shut off when the ignition is killed. Our tahoes have the safe stop as well, but most are never used people just use the key fob to lock and unlock them.

If we're going to be parked at the station on paperwork or equipment for awhile we'll shut them off, but anywhere else and they stay running.

Posted: 2/15/2017 12:33:59 AM EDT

[#17]

We don't have policy, judgement based. Most leave them running the whole shift unless taking in a prisoner, our sally port is enclosed so they can't idle inside. As always if you're away from it running it's locked. We carry Narcan in our cruisers, so it has to be temperature controlled, no warmer than like 85 and no colder than 45 something like that.