GENERAL ORDERS POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: EQUIPMENT
TITLE: TAKE HOME VEHICLES
EFFECTIVE DATE: AUGUST 31, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF
GENERAL ORDERS POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: EQUIPMENT
TITLE: TAKE HOME VEHICLES
EFFECTIVE DATE: AUGUST 31, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF
TAKE HOME VEHICLES
704.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Police Department has implemented a take-home vehicle program of assigning law enforcement vehicles that may be used to commute to and from work. The program is intended to benefit our officers by providing them with a reliable and convenient form of transportation and to accomplish the following goals that will benefit the public, the City, and the police department:
(a) Improve response times from off-duty officers when mobilized for an emergency;
(b) Reduce the opportunity for criminal activity by creating an omnipresence of marked police vehicles throughout the community;
(c) Enhance response time to priority calls while increasing the probability for criminal apprehension;
(d) Enhance the level of vehicle performance and appearance through a scheduled preventive maintenance program;
(e) Reduce vehicle maintenance costs;
(f) Provide incentives for recruiting opportunity and retention;
704.2 POLICY
The Chief of Police may authorize take-home use of city-owned vehicles for qualifying employees. It is the policy of the City of Lineville and the Police Department to assign law enforcement vehicles if applicable to full-time sworn law enforcement officers who reside within 25 miles in a straight line of the Police Department or within Clay County for use pursuant to the following guidelines and procedures. If an officer lives farther than the 25 miles limit:
(a) leave the law enforcement vehicle at the station, and the officer will need to come to the office to pick up their vehicle at the beginning of their shift.
704.3 VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS
When applicable, each law enforcement officer may be assigned a city law enforcement vehicle for which they will be responsible. With that said, the vehicle will be parked at the police department at the end of their shift until such time as the Officer meets the requirements for a take-home vehicle.
Before the employee is authorized or eligible to participate in the Take-Home Vehicle Program, they must meet certain criteria and restrictions that include, but are not limited to:
(a) Any full-time sworn law enforcement officers who live within 25 miles in a straight line of the police department are eligible to participate in the take-home vehicle program.
(b) When a full-time sworn law enforcement officer is assigned a take-home vehicle and changes their 25 miles residency restrictions to the City should immediately notify the Chief of Police or his designee.
(c) The Officer must have achieved a "Satisfactory" or above rating on his/her yearly employee step evaluation.
(d) The member shall have successfully completed the Field Training Officer Program period with the Police Department in good standing with the Department.
(e) Pool vehicles and/or any other temporarily assigned vehicles will not be used as part of this take-home program unless exigent circumstances arise. In this case, an immediate supervisor may assign a temporary vehicle.
(f) No matter where the vehicle is going to be parked, if the vehicle is going to be unattended, it must be locked and secured at all times. If the vehicle is parked for more than 5 days, all weapons shall be removed from the vehicle and stored in a secure space.
(g) If an Officer is suspended for any reason, he or she will lose their take-home vehicle privileges for a minimum of 60 days, not to run concurrently with the suspension days.
(h) In the event of recurring incidents involving a department vehicle where the Officer is found at fault, the take-home vehicle privileges may be revoked by the Chief of Police.
704.4 VEHICLE USAGE
All employees shall exercise good judgment in utilizing department vehicles to avoid negative reflections upon the employee or the Department. Members who are assigned take-home vehicles must comply with the guidelines and/or rules set forth in this policy:
(a) No person other than the assigned member or another member of the Police Department will operate the city vehicle.
(b) Officers may use the vehicle to conduct personal business within the City limits.
(c) Officers will dress appropriately when using the marked or unmarked patrol vehicle. Officers will wear or have immediate access to some type of identifying attire, i.e., departmentally approved tee-shirt, hat, jacket, traffic vest, or display a badge on the person.
(d) Officers should not wear short-shorts, tank tops, flip flops, etc., except if on the way to a physical fitness facility or park-type area to conduct physical fitness training, in such case, then the Officer must have appropriate clothes to change into in the vehicle.
(e) Officers operating a Take-Home Vehicle off-duty and their passengers shall not dress in a manner or exhibit conduct that will bring discredit to the City or the Police Department.
(f) At a minimum, Officers will equip themselves with police identification, police radio, handcuffs, firearm, spare magazines, a ballistic vest, and a reflective traffic vest should be available in the vehicle.
(g) Officers will monitor the police radio at all times while operating a marked or unmarked vehicle within City limits and/or police jurisdiction.
(h) While operating a city vehicle off duty, all traffic laws must be adhered to. Non-compliance or violations of traffic laws may result in the take-home vehicle being taken from the Officer. The non-compliance or violation may also result in further disciplinary action depending on the circumstances.
(i) Officers shall ensure that each passenger in their care wears a seatbelt while the vehicle is in operation.
(j) When off-duty or while outside of the City, officers shall use sound judgment if enforcement action is necessary. If an offense is witnessed by the Officer while outside the City limits, the Officer will contact our Department's communications officer and have the proper jurisdiction contacted for further enforcement action.
(k) No officers and/or passengers shall possess any alcoholic beverages while inside a City-owned vehicle.
(l) The vehicle shall not be utilized for carrying heavy or excessive loads and shall not have objects protruding from the trunk or windows. An exception to this will be official equipment or evidence.
(m) No off-duty city-owned vehicle shall be parked on a lot of an establishment whose primary purpose is the sale of an alcoholic beverage or in such proximity it may be reasonably inferred the Officer is patronizing the establishment, unless for law enforcement-related business.
(n) Vehicles may be used to transport the employee to and from the employee's residence for work-related and secondary law enforcement employment or functions.
(o) The vehicle may be used to transport your children to and from schools and related functions.
(p) No unapproved permanently mounted equipment or accessories will be installed that are not relative to law enforcement duties. Comfort items and police equipment over and above the standard-issue may be installed upon approval by the Chief of Police or his or her designee.
(q) Stickers, decals, decorative items, or similar materials not authorized or installed by the factory or the Department are not permitted.
(r) Nothing in this policy will prohibit the Chief of Police from authorizing any member the use of a take-home vehicle for a limited period of time to address identified needs, such as commuting to authorized training or court appearances.
(s) Whenever practical, when using a City vehicle, officers should visibly inspect the vehicle and report any unreported damage or operational defects to their Supervisor and submit the necessary reports. At the beginning of each shift and after each prisoner transport, officers will conduct a visual inspection of the front and rear seats for contraband items, unless the Officer is clearing for an emergency or some other urgent circumstance. However, at the next opportunity, the Officer should inspect for contraband items.
(t) Command & Investigation Vehicles are assigned to positions of command/investigative responsibility critical to the operational efficiency of the Police Department as designated by the Chief of Police. Any member having a command/investigative assignment must be able to communicate with the Department at all times and is subject to immediate response when needed.
Command/Investigative Staff may use their assigned vehicles as they would their personal vehicles due to the demands of their position.
Command/Investigative Staff may use their assigned vehicles for personal use, but you must have your ID, weapon, portable radio and be dressed appropriately, and/or have the appropriate clothes to change into in the vehicle.
704.5 MAINTENANCE
One of the basic rules of safe vehicle operation is that the Officer is familiar with both the vehicle and its capabilities. The day-to-day condition of the vehicle is of paramount importance for safe operation, with the final responsibility for care resting on the Officer who operates the vehicle.
Officers participating in the take-home vehicle program should make their vehicles available for scheduled maintenance. Repairs and preventive maintenance should be scheduled by the assigned vehicle maintenance supervisor.
Participating members should never attempt to repair a vehicle themselves other than immediately repairable issues such as changing a flat tire, checking fuses, checking fluid levels, etc. The vehicle is to be properly maintained and kept clean at all times.
These policies and operating procedures are not designed to cover every possible scenario or situation in society, but rather to define standard operating procedures for members of the Police Department. These guidelines are subject to past, present and future judicial review. These guidelines can be amended and or repealed by the Chief of Police as necessary. The policies and procedures herein provided supersede all previous policies and orders.