Turn off the air conditioning, reduce idling and take a fellow officer along for the ride to a crime scene.
Anne Arundel police were asked to incorporate these and other fuel-conserving measures that would not compromise the public safety ? at the request of Police Chief James Teare Sr. and County Executive John R. Leopold on Tuesday.
“If this didn?t come out, it?d be business as usual for officers, since gas conservation is probably the least of their concerns. It?s good to get the message out,” said O?Brien Atkinson, president of the Anne Arundel Fraternal Order of Police.
Shutting down air conditioning alone, for instance, can reduce gas use in stop-and-go traffic by 5 percent to 20 percent, police officials said.
Detectives and administrative personnel are being asked to carpool whenever possible, including to training sessions and lunch.
Other new parts of the protocol, to begin immediately, include eliminating unnecessary weight from vehicles and increasing foot patrols, police said.
Fuel-saving initiatives police still are exploring include placing more aerodynamic light bars on top of the cars to reduce wind drag and using nitrogen to fill tires, police spokesman Sgt. John Gilmer said.
“These fuel-saving measures will not solve the fuel price crisis, but we must continue to spend taxpayer dollars responsibly whenever and wherever possible,” Teare said in a police news release.
Howard police are exploring similar guidelines. In June, acting Chief William McMahon sent an e-mail to employees suggesting more foot patrols and less idling as well as using more fuel-efficient vehicles when appropriate.
