SARASOTA, FL - As they search for ways to help cut costs, Sarasota city commissioners want further examination of a nine-year-old Police-Department policy.

The police cruiser take-home policy will undergo a thorough examination after the commission questioned its continued use during budget hearings, according to The Sarasota Observer.

Adopted in 2001, the main purpose of allowing police officers to take home their work vehicles is neighborhood safety. The theory is that having a police car parked in a driveway lets criminals know that a police officer is nearby.

But Mayor Kelly Kirschner questioned whether the safety benefits outweigh the cost, as squad cars are parked outside the City.

The policy allows officers to take home their vehicles, up to 45 miles from the city of Sarasota, if their home is in Sarasota County. The city pays for the cost of gasoline.

The police department estimates that eliminating the take-home policy would save $80,000 in fuel costs, according to the news source.

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