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My question regards the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office policy to allow deputies to drive vehicles home. It seems to me that when deputies drive those vehicles home, they sit there for hours and days. How do they justify that in the current economy?

— Duane Phillips

Through multiple studies, law enforcement agencies have found that take-home vehicles for officers are actually more economical in the long run, said Col. Randy Powers of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.

While the up-front costs to purchase more vehicles can be high, having one vehicle assigned to a particular deputy cuts maintenance costs over time. Also, vehicles have been found to last twice as long with less mileage being put on the car daily.

“The cars are better taken care of because it’s part of the officer’s responsibility,” Powers said.

Other benefits the department has found include the ability to have more cars on the road at peak call periods and the ability to call in off-duty officers in emergency situations, thus allowing deputies to respond directly to a scene.

Another benefit is that the vehicles act as a crime deterrent in the neighborhoods in which deputies live.

“People are less likely to commit crimes when they know of a law enforcement presence in the area,” Powers said.

Take-home vehicles also have an impact as a recruitment tool for hiring officers and improving morale, studies have found.

—Ryan Seals