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Denver Manager Of Safety Calls For Take-Home Car Review

Written by Brian Maass
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver Manager of Safety Alex Martinez wants a review of the Denver police take-home car policy. His announcement came just days after a CBS4 investigation raised questions about the need for many of the Denver Police Department's unmarked, take-home cars.

"On my first day as manager of the Department of Safety, deputy manager Mel Thompson recommended a review of the police take-home vehicle policy after the new chief is in place," Martinez said. "I agree with his recommendation and will ask Chief White to evaluate the policy sometime next year."

Following 2 months of investigation, a CBS4 investigation last Friday showed how many commanders with take-home cars are never really called out for emergency situations, which is the express reason the cars are provided to the commanders. The broadcast showed many administrative lieutenants have been given cars but don't respond to after-hours call outs.

Lt. Vince Porter, an administrative aide, put about 14,000 miles on his department take-home car in 2010. But the department says it has no records showing Porter was ever called at home to respond to an emergency in 2010 or 2011.

For another six lieutenants with take-home cars, the department acknowledged there were no records showing any of them had responded to an emergency from home in either 2010 or 2011.

The investigation also found many commanders fueling up with city gas and racking up thousands of miles on their city cars when they were on vacation. DPD says the commanders have to be prepared -- even on vacation -- to be called out.

Earlier this year another CBS4 investigation showed how the division chief overseeing research and technology was commuting in a take-home car from her home in Elizabeth, nearly 40 miles from Denver, even though the lengthy commute violated numerous city rules which prohibit commuting in a city car by any employee living more than 25 miles from Denver.

READ THE STORY: Denver Police Take-Home Car Goes Too Far

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