With gasoline climbing toward $4 a gallon, police officers around the country are losing the right to take their patrol cars home and are being forced to double up in cruisers and walk the beat more.Walk...the..beat...?
You've got to be kidding.
In some neighborhoods, they're the "Only Ones" not on the street, and they aim to keep it that way. Go out there? What are you, nuts?
They ought to make them turn off the air conditioning and roll their windows down, too--besides, if they notice what's going on around them, they'd actually be safer.
Those armored personnel carriers patrolling in Chicago and NYC are going to use a LOT of fuel. Maybe nice friendly bike patrols instead.
ReplyDeleteHey, those foam helmets and sunglasses are intimidating!
I posted this over at thirdpower's site as well.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.opb.org/article/2156-northwest-police-agencies-feel-pain-pump/
It sure as hell hasn't affected the cops here. The sheriff's and state police regularly use their cars to go to the gym here off duty. On another note, the windows down idea is actually bad from a gas standpoint. I was proven a myth that you get better gas mileage that way. You get better gas mileage using the A/C since you get less drag/resistance. It was on Mythbusters, just like the tailgate down myth. You actually get better mileage with the tailgate up since it creates a bubble of air and makes the truck more aerodynamic.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.copinthehood.com/2008/05/is-foot-patrol-right-for-you.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.copinthehood.com/2008/05
ReplyDelete/is-foot-patrol-right-for-you.html
brutus,
ReplyDeleteThat was depndent on the speed of the vehicle. At the speeds that the beat cops ought to be driving the windows down will not negatively affect their gas mileage.