The Kansas City Police Department doesn't know the cost of its take-home vehicle program, and should implement several measures to improve its effectiveness, according to a city audit released May 18.

The take-home vehicles were driven 2.5 million miles for commuting and personal use during a 12-month period at a cost of $1.5 million, according to the report from city auditor Doug Jones. Police disputed several of Jones' findings, but agreed they could provide better data of officers' take-home vehicle usage, reports the Kansas City Star.

As of September, the police department counted 341 take-home vehicles of its 922 total vehicles. About 55% of the miles driven during the 12 months ending May 31 were for commuting or personal use.

The audit offered several recommendations, including greater police knowledge of the costs of the program, annual review by the chief of who is assigned a take-home vehicle, further evaluation of the need for take-home vehicles, increase of the number of marked take-home vehicles, and evaluation of whether officers should transport non-employees in the vehicles for non-business purposes.

Read the full audit here.

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