Tulsa Police Officers Living Outside City Limits Give Up Take-Home Cars

Phil Evans, president of Tulsa's Fraternal Order of Police, says officers have voted to give up driving their cars home outside city limits to help trim thousands of dollars from the budget.

Tuesday, December 22nd 2009, 8:35 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police Officers Living Outside City Limits Give Up Take-Home Cars

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa police officers who live outside city limits will no longer drive their cars home.

Phil Evans, president of Tulsa's Fraternal Order of Police, says officers have voted to give up driving their cars home to help trim thousands of dollars from the budget.

About half of the city's 780 officers live outside city limits.

The take-home offer is in the police union contract, but has been the center of controversy in recent months as the city looks for ways to slash millions of dollars from the budget.

The FOP says the move will save the city $550,000 for the last six months of this fiscal year.

The FOP will now present these changes to the city and says their vote to no longer drive police cars outside the city limits and to change the way overtime is paid should save approximately 20 police jobs.

As many as 100 officers could lose their job as the city looks to slash $5 million to $10 million from its budget.

News On 6 crime reporter finds out what this vote means for how officers will respond to crime scenes. She'll also show us the police department's other proposals to cut money but save jobs, during the 6:00 newscast.