3 Judge Panel Lifts Injunction Against City

LMPD officers are REQUIRED to respond whenever they are in their car, and over the years, they've not charged the city for the time. It's always been an unspoken quid pro quo. However, since they are required (and yes, it is in writing) that they do so, IF they pay for the car, they will also be turning in OT for all the time they expend outside their normal work hours. In other words, it will likely end up costing the city MORE than they 100/160 they get from the officers. If the city refuses to pay, they'll be back in front of the Labor Cabinet, and they'll lose.

You, however, aren't required to stop, unless you choose to do so.

Hey trucker guy...Your missing the whole point. The bottom line is, it is a benefit that we and the city have enjoyed for many years. As with any group of people, when something is taken away, people are going to complain. What you don't seem to realize is that for years we have given up raises, and accepted rate increases in health insurance in order to keep the cars. Yeah, the economy sucks right now, the way I see it, that is all the more reason to want to hang onto what we have! Wouldn't you? You need to remember that the "take home car program" really started as the Omni car program, and was intended to give the perception that there are more police on the streets, creating higher visibility... It sure as hell wasn't started because the city loved us and wanted to give us a car. They got something out of it! Hopefully, decreasing the amount of crime. As I am sure you know, there is no real way to measure if this works or not. The only true measure of policing is the absence of crime...Seeing how the criminals aren't going to call and let us know that they were just about to hijack some 18 wheeler but then saw a marked police car drive by we will never know. The only way to find out is when we all turn them in and see if the crime rate does increase. As for me I will turn my car in. I have always owned and maintained another vehicle, as I have a life, and frequently leave the county. By the way it costs less than the $160.00 I would have to pay a month to keep my police car.

Austin Boone

You've never heard of a police car getting ambushed?

Jesus Christ, where have you been living? There have been two cases of it happening in Louisville in the last month or so. If you expand it to the entire country, then there are far more stories of police cars getting ambushed. Throughout my entire career, there have been occasional threats from some gang on the street, who was apparently mad at the police, doing exactly that.

You actually think this is a free car I can use for whatever I want? Um, no....I would prefer to keep my family as far away from my police car (aka: TARGET) as possible.