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+--- Thread: why do the police here have such fancy rides? (/showthread.php?tid=11173)
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - jrw - 09-16-2013
Where on the mainland does a rookie cop start at $64,000 a year basic salary?That what they will be at with new raise this year and over $70,000 next year.plus add in benfits ,perks I think they are will payed.
jrw
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - steve1 - 09-17-2013
Around 10 years ago I recall hearing that the police got around $600 a month to use their own cars, plus gas and maintenance costs. I imagine this number has only gone up....
A while back the County wanted to save some money so they bought some blue and white behemoths but if I recall correctly they only got driven by n00bs, and the police still got their monthly stipend.
The monthly vehicle stipend is a union negotiated benefit and the police union is strong, so I wouldn't expect to see any change soon....
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - kalakoa - 09-17-2013
Really surprised that nobody has mentioned the obvious: HPD usually doesn't want to take their nice shiny ride up those unpaved unmaintained "private" roads, so it's another sort of "you pay twice! then you pay again!" situations that are so common here.
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - ericlp - 09-17-2013
yup, if it's not gonna change on Oahu, don't expect it to change here any time soon. So enjoy looking at those fancy shiny rides since in effect you paid for it!
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - bananahead - 09-17-2013
Dont know if its accurate but Ive heard they get $600 a month towards the SUV, and that will pay for a lease or the payments on a SUV etc. so Im sure its not their only private family car
If we had a fleet of real cop SUVs and cars they would have to be constantly maintained and upgraded every few years.. far more $$ that the system in place right now
and IMO the reason you see caravans of SUVs going up to the private rural 'roads' of Hawaiian Acres etc. is for instant backup, just in case as it is not quick getting a fast response if they needed a backup in the 'wildwest'
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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - ourdoc - 09-17-2013
Think of it this way. You drive your car for 6-8 hours a day while working. Since its your car, of course you are going to take care of it and not drive it like Bucktooth Bob in a demolition derby. But if its the Department car, and not yours, all bets are off. 4 wheel chasing in a non 4 wheel drive car, no problem, if I get stuck or destroy the car, its not mine, I was just doing my job. Then you have to realize there are 3 shifts of police. So you either get each cop their own police car, or your police cars are now being used 24 hours a day 356 days a year.
Now you have to remember their is a cap on how old and how many miles a car can have and still be used in the Department. Now that county vehicle, not only has to be maintained by mechanics in a mechanics shop that we have neither of, and will have to be replaced every other year because its being used 24 hours a day.
Keep in mind that stipend they get for the car, does not just go for the payments, they are also for the maintenance. Officers do not get any "extra" if they blow their engine, or destroy a rear end, etc. they have to pay for their own maintenance.
If you think this is a perk for the Officers, then its also a perk for the tax payers, saving a lot of money.
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - Guest - 09-17-2013
I hardly think the Police Chief(s) from years back sat down and came up with the car allowance for officers as a way of saving money for the County Tax Payer!
Nor do I think the operations of our Police should be limited by "budget concerns."
I do however, think at this point in time, the uptick of violent crimes here is due, IN PART, by this policy of not providing County Owned Police Vehicles.
In as much as I am against this car allowance policy, for hosts of reasons, I would be more inclined to "buy it" if there was the requirement to ONLY buy the same type of vehicle the County would buy in the first place.
Mustang GT's, Chevy Camaro's, Dodge Challengers - are just symptomatic purchases that make up for way too small male body parts!
And have not one thing to do with efficient Police operations.
How places like New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago - etc. survive by providing City Owned Police Vehicles is beyond comprehension when compared to here.
The Police do not exist to "cut operational costs." They exist to keep the citizens safe.
One "crack head" allowed to get away "off road" because the chasing officer deems his fancy car to valuable - ruins the main reason the Police exist in the first place.
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - Frank - 09-17-2013
yep! i'ad agree
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - Carey - 09-17-2013
This is all from a thread from a year ago...but my take is that when we state things like cost, we are not comparing similar vehicle. The MARKED cars Hawaii County chose were some of the most expensive cars available, full of many options most police depts. do not have (but lacking little things like dash cams & computers that many DO have). IF the county required the unmarked/personally owned cars to have all of the equipment they required the MARKED cars, then we would have a FAIR comparison...
from last years thread - http://punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14921 :
"Just for those that want a little background of the marked/unmarked car debate, here are some of the news releases on the police car issues (interesting to note that wikipedia even has a picture of a subsidized 2 door model in their article on HCPD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawai‘i_County_Police_Department ):
Starting in '03 switch for visibility of fleet:
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/09/24/news/story7.html
'05 Debate on use of marked or unmarked:
http://www.government-fleet.com/News/Story/2005/11/Debate-Over-County-Police-Cars-vs-Subsidized-Personal-Vehicles-for-Law-Enforcement.aspx?prestitial=1
'06 with the proposal to switch:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jan/08/ln/FP601080341.html
County SHOPO docs. with the '10 subsidy of $600/mo for patrol & $562 for detective:
http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/WebLink/0/doc/748314/Page1.aspx
'11 article of no plans to buy more marked vehicles:
http://hilo.hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/no-new-cruisers-planned.html
'12 marked cars deemed not cost effective:
http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-news/marked-cars-good-idea-not-cost-effective-says-chief.html
I am not sure what came of it, but I do remember that some officers wanted to still receive the subsidy even when using the marked cars... cannot find the Trib-Herald artlicle right now... know I almost had kittens about that one!"
RE: why do the police here have such fancy rides? - ourdoc - 09-18-2013
You might want to be careful there Dragon as most of the subsidized police cars DO have both cameras AND radar or laser installed in them.
Also, if you think they are paid too highly, when is the last time you put YOUR life on the line for someone you don't know? They do it ALL THE TIME. Maybe you should apply, if you think you can cut it.