When it comes to getting more police officers, remember that cars are a critical factor in police recruitment and retention

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – The Mayor's and Birmingham Police Department Police Officer Recruitment and Retention Plan has many parts to it.

In addition to the $10,000 sign-up and retention bonuses, the plan calls for expanding the take-home vehicle program that BPD is working to launch.

The mayor and his team estimate the effort will cost $4.5 million. The money would allow the department to purchase 75 new vehicles, 50 of which would be used to start the new take-home vehicle program.

Another 25 would be used to maintain the current fleet.

According to police leaders within the Birmingham Police Department and other departments, the take-home car program would be hugely important for recruiting and retaining officers.

At the emergency committee of the whole meeting, BPD leaders said almost every police department in the county already has this program.

For the past two years, the Pleasant Grove Police Department has implemented a take-home program.

Pleasant Grove Police Chief Danny Reid says the program has been a big boost for his department.

“Law enforcement is now a kind of free agency. It's a buyer's market for police officers. There are more vacancies than there are candidates available. All of us as agencies have to compare ourselves to others and say this is why you should come here. You should come here because we have take-home cars, because we get paid well, because we have free health insurance, because we have all of that. You have to present your benefits package as a whole because if you don’t, they will just shop to the next town,” said Chief Reid.

He says officers take more pride in the vehicles because they essentially serve as their office. It also saves them gas money.

He says the fact that they are driven and parked at various homes in the community shows that law enforcement has a presence in your area.

“Take-home cars these days are basically just a benefit package when you rent from an agency. So many agencies have take-home cars, so if your agency doesn’t have one, then you’re kind of behind the curve when it comes to recruiting and retention,” said Chief Reid.

He added that BPD would be a take-home program This is a big step for the department in its efforts to recruit and retain its officers.

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