2004-01-AU Hawai‘i County Police Department Vehicles

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C. Hawai'i County Police Department " Pilot Police Fleet Study," 1978 I n 1978, the H awai ` i County Pol i ce Department conducted a " R I of Pol i ce Fl eet Study," pursuant to a cri ti cal eval uati on of i is 1972 study by the audi ti ng f rm of Peat, M arwi ck, M i tchel I & Company. A " background" statement pref ad ng the 1978 H CPD pi I of study stated that the " audi tors, i n thei r report of the 1971 -72 f i scal year exami nati on, submi tted a cri ti cal eval uati on of the pol i ce department's study and strongl y recommended the i mmedi ate conversi on to a 100% county -owned fl eet of 95 vehi cl es." The department di sputed the recommended number of vehi d es, though, whi I e stati ng that it was " not opposed to the concept of a county -owned fl eet." I n the wake of thi s di sagreement, the 1978 pi I of study preface stated that "the matter fel I upon the M ayor' s Offi ce and the County Cound I to resol ve." Additi onal Iy, the pi I of study noted the i mpact of " several new factors" as fol I ows: The enactment of H awai ` i' s collective bargaining law [Chapter 89, H RS] which permitted pol i ce offi cers to uni oni ze and negoti ate changes i n pay and worki ng condi ti ons; 2. Ri si ng costs of automobi I es, purported to have i ncreased by 26% between 1970 and 1975, al ong wi th spi red i ng gas, of I and repai r costs; and 3. "A pparent" changes i n off i cer atti tudes due to hi gher car costs, resul ti ng i n a shi ft " I eani ng i n favor of county -owned vehi cl es." These factors, combi ned wi th " the present admi ni strati on' s desi re to resol ve the questi on of whi ch avenue to pursue," prompted the department to undertake "a pilot program to determine the feasibility of a county -owned pol i ce fl eet," accordi ng to the study authors. The scope of the 1978 study was " conf i ned to the gatheri ng of data rel ati ng to the operati on of a county -owned pol i ce fl eet wi th respect to cost and effect on pol i ce operati ons." The pi I of study experi ment depl oyed seven Chevrol et I mpal a " pol i ce sped al vehi d es" I eased from H i I o M otors Leasi ng, I nc. i n the Puna Di stri ct for one year. Duri ng the study peri od, the Puna Di stri ct was manned by 15 off i cers operati ng on a three shi ft schedul e. The proj ect commenced on A ugust 9, 1976 and was terminated on July 31, 1977. The Puna police district was chosen due to its mix of roads, representative rural nature, normal caseload, and proximity to Hilo for servi ce/mai ntenance of leased cars and on -si to vi si is by pol i ce personnel. Cost and operati onal data accumul aced duri ng the one -year tri al was compared to the esti mated operati ng costs of a 15 -vehi d e pri vatel y owned fl eet. M aj or cost f ndi ngs from the Puna pi I of experi ment, ref l ecti ng actual expenses for the seven I eased cars, are shown in the cost summary at ri ght. [ Regardi ng cost i tems: " Safety sl i de shi el ds" were i nstal I ed to separate back seat pri soners f rom the dri ver' s compartment.] The addi ti onal $3,229.82 i n repai r costs not covered under the mai ntenance agreement I argel y represented damages sustai ned i n ei ght traffi c acci dents. Puna Pilot Study: Cost Summation Mbtf 0k3: - 889/ 11 Nbj ouf obodf % 7-763/77 Fydf t t ! Nj rrf b h f % 3-396/58 Tbgfuz!Trrjef!Tijfm=_ % 2-791/11 Hbt!'!Pjm 0X26- 45: / 1: Vglffq!)xbtiOgprrjti % ' G17 11 Duri ng the one -year tri al, the seven vehi d es drove 277,878 mi I es, an average of 39,696 mi I es per vehi cl e. Based on the toted miles travelled (277, 898) and gallons of gas consumed (21,052), the seven cars averaged 13.2 mpg. A total of 313 quarts of of I (averaging 44.7 quarts per car) were used by the seven vehi d es. The study noted that " departmental records pri or to and fol I owi ng the Puna Fl eet Study i ndi cafe 18