DETROIT – A program beginning this week will allow Wayne County Sheriff's deputies to take home with them marked patrol vehicles.
Wayne County Sheriff's Office says the program is designed to increase police presence throughout Wayne County at a time when most police agencies are struggling to keep officers on the street due to limited financial resources.
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In order to take home a marked police car, deputies must live in Wayne County and park their car in the driveway or garage. They will not be able to use the car for personal use.
The department says deputies will be in full uniform and on duty during their drive to and from work. They will be required to enforce the law during their travel time, but will not receive overtime compensation.
"Officers can start work as soon as they leave home," says Wayne County Sheriff Benny N. Napoleon.
Napoleon says the program could add an extra hour or more of extended patrol time on average. The program will be monitored closely to ensure it achieves intended goals.
"It also increases police visibility for the public where the officers live," says Napoleon. "Higher visibility helps to deter crime."
About twenty officers are expected to participate in the program, including those assigned to road and park patrols. Participation in the pilot program is voluntary.
AFSCME Local 3317 and the Police Officers Association of Michigan, unions representing Sheriff's deputies, approved the program last week. The program is believed to be among the first for a Sheriff's agency in Michigan.